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Dalen Banks Pitching Against Olivet on March 11, 2023
13
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2-6
3
Olivet OLIVET 0-8
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
2-6
13
Final
3
Olivet OLIVET
0-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 7 13 16 2
Olivet OLIVET 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3 11 2

W: Banks, Dalen (2-0) L: Bryan Carney (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Tallies Seven Runs in Eighth to Secure Victory in Opening Spring Trip Game

Titans recorded season-high 16 hits

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - In the wind and light rain, the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team began the program's spring break slate by taking on Olivet College, Saturday, March 11 at the USA Complex in Millington, Tenn. IWU's offense exploded in the later innings by scoring ten times in the seventh and eighth to end the team's four game losing skid. The Titans won by a final score of 13-3. With the win, IWU's record sits at 2-6, while the Comets own a record of 0-8.

Just four pitches into the contest, the Green and White strung together back-to-back hits by sophomore Jimmy Gurgone (Monkeka, Ill.-St. Laurence) and senior Jalen Ping (Chatham, Ill.-Glenwood) set up IWU with runners on first and third with no one out. A successful pickoff attempt allowed Gurgone to scamper home as the Titans took the early, 1-0, lead after a half inning.

In the bottom of the first, Ping threw a missile from his right field post to third basemen, senior Ethan Burgh (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Prospect), who applied the tag to cut down a Comet attempting to take an extra base on a single. With the help of his defense, sophomore Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) got out of the first inning unscathed as IWU remained in front, 1-0, after the opening frame. 

With two down in the second, junior Dino Biggers (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville Central) stole second to get himself in scoring position. Junior Evan Hutson (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) delivered a base knock right back up the box that allowed Biggers to cross the plate as IWU expanded its lead to 2-0 heading to the bottom of the second.

The Comets produced runners on first and third with no out in the bottom of the second. Banks struck out back-to-back hitters and got the final out of the inning via a pickoff as Olivet put its runner from first in motion, attempting to bait Banks. The sophomore spun and was able to get the runner from third out on a rundown as the Titans kept its 2-0 cushion.

Olivet tallied an unearned run in the bottom of the third to cut IWU's lead in half, 2-1 as the game progressed to the fourth.

IWU tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning on a Comet throwing error to reclaim the two-run cushion, with the score at 3-1.

The Comets tallied three hits in the sixth that generated one run to cut the lead to 3-2, going into the seventh.

With two on and two out in the seventh, junior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) laced his first round-tripper of the season on a ball that easily cleared the right center fence. Perona's no doubter gave IWU its biggest advantage of the day, with the Titans out in front by a score of 6-2. The four-bagger warranted a pitching change from the Comet dugout.

With the bases loaded and no one out for the Comets, junior Luke Uhwat (Spring Grove, Ill.-Richmond-Burton) was able to limit the damage to only one run thanks in large part to a timely 4-6-3 double play. Ranging to his left, Gurgone made an acrobatic play, juggled the ball, corralled and fired an off-balance strike to Hutson for the final out of the seventh. With the web gem, IWU was in front by a tally of 6-2 after seven innings.

The Titans' bats were able to score seven runs in the eighth to earn the 13-3 victory.

Continuing his sensational season, Banks tossed six-innings, allowing just one earned run, while striking out a career-high eight Comets. The sophomore only surrendered one walk en route to earning the victory (2-0) on the bump.

IWU outhit Olivet by a final tally of 16-11. Ping notched a season-high four hits by going 4-for-4 at the dish. Burgh enjoyed a 3-for-5 afternoon while Gurgone and Perona each tallied a pair of hits.

The Green and White will continue play in Millington by squaring off with Ripon College tomorrow, Sunday, March 12. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at USA Complex's Stadium Field.

 
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