BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Junior centerfielder Nick Figus had three hits and scored twice and junior first baseman Garrett Shea had two hits with two runs batted in as the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team won a 7-2 game over North Central on Sunday, March 31, and claim the best two-of-three series against the Cardinals.

The Titans are 9-9 overall and the Cardinals are 11-5 overall. Both teams are now 2-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

Sophomore Eric Bennes (1-1) got the pitching win, working five innings and allowing one unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks. In relief, sophomore Hunter Simon turned in three innings of scoreless, one-hit pitching.

Illinois Wesleyan gave Bennes a four-run cushion in the first inning when Shea doubled to bring home Figus and junior shortstop Brandon Skopick, who had reached on a hit and a walk. The Titans added a third run as Shea came home on a single by junior third baseman Dalton Fletcher and got their fourth tally on a fielder's choice by senior leftfielder John Bosco to bring home sophomore designated hitter Eric Kozlowski, who also had two hits on the day.
IWU tacked on two more runs in the second inning as Skopick tripled home Figus, then scored himself on a groundout by freshman rightfielder Evan Ranneklev.

What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan has a noon CCIW doubleheader vs. Augustana College on Tuesday, April 2, at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field in Moline, Ill. The Vikings are 13-5-1 overall and 3-1 in the CCIW. Go here for links to live stats and video.