Cole Greer rounding second at Wheaton March 27

Dave Naprstek

Baseball Readies for Bout at No. 7 North Central

First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

3/29/2021 2:34:00 PM

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team remains on the road Tuesday, March 30, for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game at No. 7 North Central College. First pitch between the Titans and Cardinals is slated for 2 p.m.

Illinois Wesleyan is 9-6, 4-3 in the CCIW following a sweep of Wheaton, March 27. IWU outlasted the Thunder in 11 innings, 11-9, and completed the sweep with a 5-2 win in the night cap. The Cardinals are off to a 9-3 start, including a 4-1 mark in league play. NCC's lone CCIW loss came in extra innings in its series finale with Augustana, March 21. North Central most recently fell to second-ranked WashU, 4-3, March 28.

Five Titans boast season averages above .300, led by junior Evan Ranneklev (Naperville, Ill.-Neuqua Valley), who is hitting a team-best .379. He is the team leader in hits (25), doubles (7), and triples (2). Freshman Jacob Cyrus (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) and senior Dominic DiLello (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart Griffin) are tied for the team lead with two homers apiece, while Cyrus holds a .365 batting average and DiLello checks in at .302. Cyrus also paces the Green and White with 15 RBIs. Junior Jack Schneider (Naperville, Ill.-Benet Academy) is second on the team with 13 driven in.

On the mound, IWU saw senior Hunter Simon (Verona, Ill.-Seneca) toss a complete game in a 5-2 win at Wheaton, March 27. Simon allowed just one earned run while striking out nine against the Thunder to move to 2-0 on the season. Senior Cooper Kraft (Morton, Ill.-Morton) earned the win in the first game, pitching three scoreless innings in relief.

Tuesday will be the first meeting between IWU and NCC since the 2019 CCIW Tournament. The Cardinals outlasted the Titans, 8-7, in 10 innings in the CCIW Tournament Championship May 11, 2019.

First pitch is on tap for 2 p.m., and will be live streamed here. Live stats of the game can be found here.

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