CHICAGO, Ill. -- After losing the opener, 9-4, the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team battled back for an 8-3 win in game two to split a doubleheader with North Park University on Wednesday, May 1, at Holmgren Athletic Complex in Chicago.

Illinois Wesleyan is 19-16 overall and 12-9 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin as the Vikings are now 19-15 overall and 11-10 in CCIW action.

The Titans got seven solid innings on the mound from senior starter Jacob Houghton (1-0) in game two. He scattered seven hits, allowed only two earned runs, struck out two and walked two. Junior centerfielder Nick Figus had three hits and scored twice for IWU while senior Stephen Billington and junior Brandon Skopick each had two hits in a 13-hit offense.

After scoring three runs on three hits in the first inning of the first game, Illinois Wesleyan was limited to one run on two hits over the final eight innings. North Park came right back to tie the game at 3-3 in the last of the first and then tacked on five seventh-inning runs to seal the first game. Figus had a triple for the teams's only extra base hit and catcher Seth Palmby drove in two runs for Illinois Wesleyan with a first inning single.
Senior starter Nick Brune (5-2) took the pitching loss, lasting 6 1/3 innings, allowing 13 hits with eight runs (five earned) and five strikeouts.

What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan hosts Carthage in a three-game series at Horenberger Field this weekend, beginning with a 6 p.m. single game on Friday, May 3. Saturday will feature a doubleheader with a 12 p.m. start.