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Louis Perona Hitting Against North Central in CCIW Tournament (May 10, 2023)
5
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 18-22
15
Winner North Central (Ill.) NCC 26-12
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
18-22
5
Final
15
North Central (Ill.) NCC
26-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1 0 0 0 2 1 1 5 10 0
North Central (Ill.) NCC 0 0 3 1 4 7 X 15 13 1

W: Shanner, Jason (4-1) L: Banks, Dalen (6-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Drops CCIW Tournament Opener to North Central

Will play Carroll in an elimination game tomorrow morning

MOLINE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team kicked off its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament with a first round bout against North Central College, Wednesday, May 10, at Swanson Stadium in Moline, Ill. IWU fell by a final score of 15-5. With the setback, Illinois Wesleyan's record sits at 18-22, while NCC's sprung to 26-12

The Titans tallied the first run of the game in the first inning to snag the early, 1-0, lead. Senior Jalen Ping (Chatham, Ill.-Glenwood) led off the game with a walk, then junior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) torched a single to right center, and advanced to second on a Cardinal fielding error. With runners on second and third, junior Jacob Cyrus (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) recorded a sacrifice fly to give Illinois Wesleyan the lead.

In the bottom of the first, sophomore Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) spun a 1-2-3 inning to get the Titan bats up to the box.

After getting the first two on in the third with a Perona double down the left field line, sophomore Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, I'll.-Buffalo Grove) reached first on a walk. the Green and White failed to scratch a run across on the golden opportunity. The score remained, 1-0, in favor of IWU, as the contest cruised to the bottom of the third. 

North Central recorded three runs, on four hits, in the bottom of the third to stake the 3-1 advantage. The Cardinals expanded their lead to 4-1 on a solo homer in the fourth. 

The Titans cut the deficit to one after loading the bases in the fifth. Ping reached on an infield single, Perona walked, and Figus laid down a perfect bunt to set up IWU. After a fly out and a strikeout, senior Tommy Bleker (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard West) tagged a line drive single, right back up the box, which allowed Ping and Perona to scamper home as the score stood at 4-3, NCC.

However, the Cardinals responded in the next half with four runs of their own to push the cushion to 8-3 as the game progressed to the top of the sixth. 

With two down in the sixth, Ping connected on his second round-tripper of the season, a solo variety that cleared the left field wall with plenty of room to spare. After the blast, IWU trailed by a score of 8-4. 

North Central sprung for seven runs in the top of the sixth to snag the 15-4 lead. 

Illinois Wesleyan scored a run in the seventh, but ultimately fell to North Central by a final score of 15-5. 

NCC outhit IWU by a final tally of 13-10. Perona led the offense with his 3-for-3 afternoon, while Ping added a 2-for-2 day at the plate. Bleker topped the Titans as he recorded a pair of RBI.

On the mound, Banks was credited with the loss (6-3). Banks tossed four and a third innings, on 97 pitches. The sophomore allowed eight hits and fanned a pair. 

The Green and White will tangle with Carroll University, the six-seed, in an elimination game, tomorrow, May 11. First pitch between the Titans and Pios is set for 11 a.m. at Swanson Stadium in Moline, Ill. 
 
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