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Flagg Swing
Ashtin Elder
12
Wheaton College Ill. WHEATONI 7-15, 1-6 CCIW
13
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 16-9, 6-3 CCIW
Wheaton College Ill. WHEATONI
7-15, 1-6 CCIW
12
Final
13
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
16-9, 6-3 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Wheaton College Ill. WHEATONI 4 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 1 12 17 1
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2 1 4 0 0 5 0 0 1 13 17 1

W: Davidsmeier, Will (4-0) L: Smith, Sean (1-0)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Walks off Against Thunder

Sac fly in the bottom of ninth give IWU 13-12 win

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- A sacrifice fly lifted the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team past Wheaton College Tuesday night, April 9, at Horenberger Field. The Titans are now 16-9 overall and 6-3 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play, while the Thunder fall to an overall record of 7-15 and 1-6 in conference play. 

The IWU pitching staff got off to a rocky start in the opening inning, allowing Wheaton to take a 4-0 advantage before IWU had an opportunity at the plate. 

Senior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) went to work after being walked, stealing both second and third base. Sophomore Tommy Willard (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) brought him home on a grounder to snag an RBI. The Titans started to pick apart Wheaton's defense, as sophomore Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), freshman John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), and senior Jacob Cyrus (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) each notched singles to bring the score within two before the end of the inning. 

The Titans kept Wheaton scoreless in the second, while Willard and Perona both targeted right field for singles. With runners on first and third, Wheaton's pitcher would be called for a balk that ultimately brought Willard home to bring the score within one, 4-3, in favor of the Thunder. After junior Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg) was walked, junior Tyler Woltman (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton North) put down a bunt and beat the throw to load the bases with two outs. Ferraro's rip to right field was just shy of clearing the fence, closing the inning before IWU could tie it up.

Inching back from an early deficit, the third inning saw runners on first and second as junior Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence) registered a double down the left line, bringing Cyrus home to even the ball game at four all. Willard followed with an RBI. Perona's bat stayed hot, landing a deep ball to right center for a triple that brought Gurgone across the plate. With only one out, Gadomski singled to left field with enough space for Perona to score and take a 7-4 advantage over the Thunder. 

The Titans' three-run lead  remained until the sixth inning, where both teams put up numbers. Wheaton came back from its, putting two more on the board to cut the edge to one. IWU did not let up though, scoring five more in the bottom of the sixth.

WC had another push left though, scoring four l runs in the seventh inning to climb back within one once again, 12-11. The Thunder were persistent in scoring and took one more in the top of the ninth to put the pressure on the Titans in the bottom of the ninth with the game locked at 12.

Gadomski was the first one to get on base with a single to left field. With back-to-back wild pitches, Gadomski advanced to third. Woltman was walked to put runners on first and third for Flagg. He promptly ended the game with a sac fly to right, bringing home Gadmoski and a 13-12 triumph.

IWU will take a day off before returning to Horenberger Field Thursday, April 11 for a non-conference single game with Beloit College at 6 p.m.
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