DECATUR, Ill. (March 28, 2018) – Illinois Wesleyan junior Jacob Houghton had a three-run home run as part of a seven-run ninth inning as the Titans rallied from a 7-4 deficit to steal an 11-7 win over Millikin at Decatur's Sunnyside Park on Wednesday, March 28.

Game two of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed until a date to be announced later due to the wet field as the final four innings of game one were played in a steady light rain.

The Titans improved to 10-4 this spring and won their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener while Millikin is 10-5 and this was their CCIW opener. The 10 victories gives IWU head coach Dennis Martel a career mark of 793 wins, closing in on 800 victories in his 31st season.

In the top of the ninth, the Titans sent 10 men to the plate and scored seven of them to rally from a 7-4 deficit with the big blow coming from Houghton with two on and two outs. The Titans were in a 6-0 hole after five innings before scoring two in the sixth and eighth ahead of the seven in the ninth.

Sophomore shortstop Brandon Skopick and sophomore second baseman Nick Figus each had three hits of the team's total of nine and Figus cracked a double for the squad's other extra-base knock.

Freshman Hunter Simon (1-1) got the win in relief, throwing the eighth and allowing one run on two hits with a walk. Senior Matt Banaitis gave the Titans six innings of relief of sophomore starter Braden Miller, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

Millikin had 12 hits to get their seven runs but committed four errors, including two in the top of the ninth.

What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan is slated to play a doubleheader on Friday, March 30, at Horenberger Field against Elmhurst College. The start time for the pair of games has been moved up an hour to 3 p.m. ... The Bluejays are 10-4, 1-0 CCIW, after winning the first game of two against North Park Wednesday.