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Evan Hutson Catching Ball at First Base (March 5, 2023)
4
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-5
9
Winner WashU WASHUBB 5-2
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-5
4
Final
9
WashU WASHUBB
5-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 9 2
WashU WASHUBB 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 X 9 11 0

W: Clayton Miller (1-1) L: Cyrus, Jacob (0-1)

9
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-6
11
Winner WashU WASHUBB 6-2
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-6
9
Final
11
WashU WASHUBB
6-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0 2 0 1 0 1 3 0 2 9 16 0
WashU WASHUBB 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 4 X 11 13 1

W: Hank Weiss (1-0) L: Ciullo, Jonathan (0-2) S: Kyle Coates (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Sees Late Lead Erased by Bats of the Bears

Hutson set career-high with three hits in game two

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - With yesterday's game two suspended due to darkness, the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team wrapped up the final four innings against Washington University in St. Louis, Sunday, March 5, before concluding the three-game set with a single, nine-inning game. In the first game of the day, the Bears tallied five unanswered runs, which propelled WashU to a 9-4 victory. The night cap saw an IWU lead dissipate in the late innings, as WashU swept the series by taking the finale by a score of 11-9. After the action, the Titans' record sits at 1-6, while the Bears sit at 6-2.

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 4, WashU 9
After losing a heartbreaker in game one, yesterday, the Titans wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Junior Nick Pratscher (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield East), continuing his solid weekend at the plate, laced a bases clearing triple in the first as IWU raced out to a quick 3-0 advantage in the first. 

However, the cushion was short lived as the Bears tallied four runs, on six hits, to take the 4-3 lead after a high-scoring opening frame.

After neither team scored for three innings, senior Thomas Bleker (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard West) delivered the game-tying RBI in the top of the fifth, as senior Jalen Ping (Chatham, Ill.-Glenwood) crossed the plate. With runners on second and third and only out, IWU could not scratch across the go-ahead tally.

As the game progressed to the bottom of the eighth, WashU manufactured four runs to retake the 8-4 advantage.

With the score 9-4, in favor of the home team, the Bears' thwarted the Titan comeback effort as WashU took the game, and the series, by a final score of 9-4.

WashU outhit IWU by a final tally of 11-9. Bleker led the offense with a 3-for-3 contest. Ping and junior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) each produced two hits.

Senior Will Jackson (Glenview, Ill.-Loyola Academy) got the nod on the bump. Jackson tossed three innings and allowed four runs in his second start of the season. Junior Jacob Cyrus (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) took the loss out of the bullpen.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 9, WashU 11
After trailing 3-0 entering the second, IWU strung together three straight singles from Bleker, sophomore Keenan Burgos (Park Ridge, Ill.-Niles Notre Dame), and freshman Tommy Willard (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) loaded the bases with no outs. With a prime opportunity, junior Evan Hutson (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) produced his first RBI of the year with a fielder's choice as the Titans cut the lead to 3-1. With runners on the corners, a successful pickoff attempt allowed Burgos to scamper home as the WashU lead stood at 3-2, heading to the home half of the second. 

In the fourth inning, down 4-2, Hutson drove a 1-0 breaking ball well over the left field fence for a solo round tripper. This homerun marked the first Titan homer of the season. With the four–bagger, the score stood at 4-3, in favor of the home team.

With one down in the top of the sixth, a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by senior Aaron Miranda (Davie, Fla.-Fort Lauderdale) moved Hutson into scoring position for leadoff hitter, sophomore Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence). Gurgone barreled up an offering for a single to right center that allowed Hutson, the game tying run, to cross the plate. Going to the bottom of the sixth, the score was tied, four-all.

To lead off the top of the seventh, Perona drilled a triple that short hopped the left field fence, to set up IWU with a runner on third and no one out. Bleker, with the defense back, sent a sharp groundball to the shortstop, as Perona raced home. The Titans took their first lead of the day, 5-4, as a result. Hutson, who notched his third hit of the game, and third RBI, placed a ground ball that squeaked through the middle for a much needed insurance run, as IWU led, 6-4. The Titans were not done as Pratscher recorded a hit to right that propelled Hutson to run home for the 7-4 cushion.

The Bears tallied three runs in the seventh and four in the eighth to take a commanding 11-7 lead heading into the ninth.

Showing late life, the Titans manufactured a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to cut the deficit to 11-9. However, IWU could not push the game-tying run across as WashU came from behind to defeat the Green and White by a final score of 11-9.

The teams produced 29 hits, with IWU out hitting WashU, 16-13. Hutson assembled a career-day at the plate with his 3-for-5 performance. Perona, Bleker, Burgos, and Willard all recorded a pair of hits. 

After injuries derailed the 2022 campaign for senior Aiden Smith (Marengo, Ill.-Marengo), he earned his first start on the hill for the Green and White. Aiden Smith hurdled one inning of work in his Titan debut. The Green and White used seven pitchers to cover the nine innings, with freshman Jonathan Ciullo (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) taking the loss (0-2).

IWU will head south to the greater Memphis, Tenn. area for the program's spring break trip. The Titans will compete in five games during the week-long trip, March 11-18. The Green and White will take on Olivet College to begin the week, March 11, with first pitch set for 10 a.m.

 
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