IMPERIAL, Mo. - The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team opened the 2020 season with a thrilling extra-inning victory over Fontbonne College Friday afternoon, Feb. 28, at Windsor High School. The Titans moved to 1-0 on the season with a four-run 10th inning to topple the Griffins 8-4. Fontbonne dipped to 4-4 on the season with the setback.

Quinn Gudaitis (Arlington Heights, Ill.-John Hersey HS) went 6.1 innings on the mound, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out six. Matt Blaney (Tinley Park, Ill.-Lincoln Way East HS) struck out three in one inning of work to notch the win, while Casey Becker (Carol Stream, Ill.-Wheaton North HS) threw a clean 10th.

At the plate, four Titans notched multi-hit games. Brandon Skopick (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln Way East HS) went 3-for-5 with a RBI, Nick Figus (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln Way North HS) finished 2-for-5 with a double, and Garrett Shea (Decatur, Ill.-Warrensburg Latham HS) tallied two hits, scored twice, and drove in one. Eric Kozlowski (North Barrington, Ill.-Barrington HS) finished the day 2-for-4 with a RBI, while Jeran Simpson (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton Warrenville South HS) led the team with two RBI.

Illinois Wesleyan sprung for three runs on four hits in the top of the first to take control from the get go. A leadoff double by Figus was followed by a RBI knock by Skopick. After stealing second and advancing to third on a groundout, Skopick crossed home plate on Shea's RBI single to left. Kozlowski singled to score Shea from second to close out the inning with IWU in front, 3-0.

Gudaitis kept the Griffins in check, tossing three scoreless before Fontbonne cut Illinois Wesleyan's advantage to one, 3-2, with a two-run fourth inning. A leadoff walk moved into third on a single and an error before scoring on a two-run double. 

A two-run homer gave Fontbonne its first lead of the game, 4-3, with seven innings complete.

Illinois Wesleyan knotted the score at 4-4 with a single by Jared Mutter (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln Way East HS) in the top of the ninth.

Blaney worked around a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the ninth, striking out back-to-back batters, to send the game into extras.

The Titans erupted for four runs on three hits in the top of the 10th, with Evan Ranneklev (Naperville, Ill.-Benet Academy) singling and Simpson doubling to drive in three. IWU tacked on an insurance run on a sac fly by Dan Cerniglia (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South HS) to take a commanding 8-4 lead.

Illinois Wesleyan returns to action tomorrow, Feb. 29, against Greenville College. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at O'Fallon Family Sports Park in O'Fallon, Ill.