NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team split its doubleheader against College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe North Central College Satuday, April 6. The Titans climb to 14-9 (4-3 CCIW) while NCC sits 8-12 (3-2 CCIW). 

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 6, North Central 3
A strong outing on the mound from junior Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) saw the game scoreless into the fifth, where the Titans manufactured a pair of runs. A leadoff single from John Phillip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) began the inning, before a Cardinal throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt put runners on second third for Tommy Willard (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South). An RBI single by Willard brought home the first run of the game, before Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg) doubled the lead with an RBI single through the left side. 

North Central cut the IWU lead in half with a run in the sixth, but the Green and White got it right back in the seventh. Willard worked a nine-pitch at bat for a walk and senior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) followed with a single. A miscue in right field allowed Perona to scoot into second, while Willard was called out on a play at the plate. IWU still managed to capitalize though, as Gadomski smacked a single to second to push Illinois Wesleyan ahead, 3-1.

After the Cardinals clawed back within one, the Titans tacked on three key insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Perona and Gadomski drew back-to-back walks to force a pitching change. Cyrus reached on an error and Perona scored in the process. Tyler Woltman (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton North) added a two-run double to extend the Titan lead to four, 6-2, with the Cardinals coming to bat one last time.

NCC used a leadoff single to plate a run in the bottom of the ninth. Brady Hartman (Milan, Ill.-Sherrard) worked out of the jam though as he induced an inning-ending lineout to strand two.

Illinois Wesleyan finished with 12 hits to North Central's nine and saw four players record two-or-more hits in the win. Gadomski led the way, going 3-for-4 with two driven in, while Woltman, Ferraro, and sophomore Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence) each notched two hits.

Banks improved to 4-2 on the bump, throwing seven innings. He struck out seven, scattered five hits, and allowed two runs in the victory. Alex Smith (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) threw one scoreless frame in relief, while Hartman closed out the game in the ninth.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 5, North Central 2
After two scoreless innings, the Titans got going in the third as a Perona earned a lead-off walk with Gadomsk following it up with a RBI double to left field to bring Perona around. After advancing to second on a grounded out, a Cardinal wild pitch moved Gadomski into scoring position as sophomore Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) singled to right field moving IWU into a 2-0 advantage.

In the top of the fifth, Willard led IWU off with a single to right field before the Titans took advantage of a struggling Cardinal pitching staff. Gadomski was hit by a pitch followed up by Cyrus getting walked to have bases loaded with Flagg up to bat. Flagg hit a clutch double down the right field to bring three Titans home and advance to third. IWU would lead 5-0 before NCC could end the inning. 

Illinois Wesleyan totaled four additional hits in the last four innings, but it was North Central who put up five runs in the ninth to tie the ball game at 5-all and take it into extra innings. 

IWU struggled to regain the momentum, ultimately leaving a runner on in each of the next two innings while NCC managed a run with bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning to win 6-5. 

Gadomski and Flagg each had three hits while Flagg had the team-high four RBIs. Woltman, Willard, and freshman Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson) each had one hit in game two. Three Titans made mound appearances with sophomore Will Davidsmeier (Virginia, Ill.-Beadstown) pitching 5.2 innings and totaling three strikeouts. Sophomores Luke Costello (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) pitched two innings, recording two strikeouts. Jake Pullam (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) pitched one inning before Aiden Smith (Marengo, Ill.-Marengo) pitched the final inning, getting hit with the loss (0-1) while striking out two. 

IWU's game against North Central that was previously scheduled for Sunday, April 7 has been postponed to Monday, April 8 due to forecasted weather. First pitch at Tucci Stadium on Monday is set for 4 p.m.