BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team opened its home portion of the 2025 schedule with a 21-0 win over Principia College Tuesday, March 18. The Titans moved to 6-6 behind its highest scoring performance since 2024, while the Panthers dropped to 2-11.

Senior Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) secured his third win on the mound, striking out seven batters and allowing just one hit in five innings. Freshman pitchers Brennan Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield) and Cole Benson (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) each pitched one inning in relief, recording one strikeout apiece in hitless showings.

IWU's offense was on fire, with four players finishing the game with multiple hits. Sophomore John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) and junior Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) both hit homeruns, while senior Tyler Woltman (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton North) and junior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) tallied three RBIs each.

The Titans recorded 18 hits to Principia's one hit. Illinois Wesleyan capitalized on Principia's six errors, while the Titans did not commit any. IWU also had 19 more at-bats than the Panthers (40-21).

In the bottom of the first, IWU put up eight runs. Senior Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg) led off with a double to right-center, followed by a single from senior Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield), advancing Gadomski to third. A walk by senior Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence) loaded the bases for senior Woltman, who singled to center field. An error by the Panthers' centerfielder allowed all three runners to score, putting IWU up 3-0.

Ferraro then walked, and Flagg reached on an error by the shortstop, advancing runners to second and third. Wolfe followed with a single to left-center, bringing Ferraro and Woltman home and extending the lead to 5-0.

Sophomore Jack Novak (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) reached base on another error, moving Wolfe and Flagg into scoring position. Another Principia miscue allowed  Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) to reach base and Flagg and Wolfe to score. Novak crossed the plate on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 8-0 after just one inning.

The Titans' offense continued to roll in the second inning. Gurgone reached base and then scored on Ferraro's 383-foot home run to left-center, making it 10-0.

Flagg singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch before an errant throw brought him home. Another run came in as Wolfe scored on a groundout from Novak, extending the lead to 12-0.

After a quick 1-2-3 inning in the third, IWU added two more runs in the fourth. Flagg hit a 396-foot home run to center field, and Wolfe scored from third on a triple by Novak, making it 14-0.

Senior Casey Swanson (Minooka, Ill.-Minooka) singled to right field, and freshman Trey Schilling (Lincoln, Ill.-Lincoln Community) walked to keep things rolling in the fifth. Morelli then singled to left-center to bring Swanson home. Sophomore Patrick Carmody (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) came in to pinch-hit and doubled to left-center, driving in both Schilling and Morelli. The Titans extended their lead to 17-0.

Four additional runs came in during the bottom of the fifth, thanks to contributions from Carmody, freshmen Michael Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence), Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East), and senior William Duff (Western Springs, Ill.-St. Ignatius).
IWU completed the game in seven innings via the mercy rule, sealing the 21-0 victory.

The Titans will face Wabash College in a three-game series this weekend, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 23, in Crawfordsville, Ind. at 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (ET). The series will conclude on Sunday, March 24, at noon at home.