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Morelli Clapping
6
Winner Illinois Wesleyan IWU 18-12
4
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON 12-19
Winner
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
18-12
6
Final
4
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON
12-19
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 6 10 2
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 4 9 2

W: Benson, Cole (2-2) L: Kloth, Jared (3-6) S: Costello, Luke (2)

11
Winner Illinois Wesleyan IWU 19-12
8
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON 12-20
Winner
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
19-12
11
Final
8
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON
12-20
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 5 0 11 15 0
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON 0 0 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 8 12 4

W: Flagg, Jack (1-0) L: Van Hook, JD (4-4) S: Pullam, Jake (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Sweeps Thunder in Series

IWU back at home Tuesday, April 22

WHEATON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan baseball team completed a sweep of College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe Wheaton College on Saturday, April 19. The Titans edged out the Thunder with a 6-4 victory in game one before staging a late-game comeback to claim an 11-8 win in game two. With the doubleheader sweep, the Green and White improve to 19-12 overall and 11-4 in CCIW play, while Wheaton drops to 12-20 on the season and 5-8 in conference contests.

Game One: Titans 6, Thunder 4

Freshman Cole Benson (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) delivered a strong start for Illinois Wesleyan, earning the win behind 7.2 innings of work, recording four strikeouts. Luke Costello (Downers Grove, Ill.–Downers Grove South) came on in relief and locked things down, striking out three in 1.1 innings to earn the save and secure the Titans' 6-4 victory in game one.

Offensively, the Titans were led by senior Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.–Schaumburg) and junior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.–Bloomington), both going 3-for-5. Gadomski roped two doubles, drove in a run, and scored once, while Wolfe added a double and tallied two RBIs. Sophomore John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) also chipped in with a 2-for-4 performance and scored a run.

IWU out-hit Wheaton 10-9 and collected three doubles and five RBIs in the win.

The Titans came out firing in the top of the first, putting up four runs early. Gadomski got things started with a double to right center, and senior Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.–Pittsfield) was hit by a pitch to put two on. Senior Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.–St. Laurence) followed with an RBI single to left field to open the scoring. Ferraro then singled to load the bases, and senior Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, Ill.–Buffalo Grove) worked a bases-loaded walk to force in another run.

Wolfe capped off the inning with a two-RBI double to right center, giving IWU a commanding 4-0 lead.

Wheaton answered with a run in the second, but the Titan defence shut them down in the third to maintain a 4-1 advantage.

The Green and White extended its lead to 5-1 in the fourth after freshman Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.–Lincoln-Way East) was hit by a pitch and later scored on a Gadomski single down the left field line.

IWU tacked on one more in the eighth as junior Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) singled and came around to score following a throwing error by the Thunder shortstop.
Wheaton made it interesting with a three-run eighth, but the Titans held on for the 6-4 win.

Game Two: Titans 11 , Thunder 8

Junior Cole Shamhart (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) got the start on the mound for the Green and White, working three innings in his outing. The Titans turned to a trio of relievers—juniors Flagg and Jake Pullam (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine), along with freshman Cade Addis (Fairbury, Ill.–Prairie Central). Flagg picked up the win in relief, while Pullam closed out the game to earn the save.

Freshman Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.–Waubonsie Valley) had a standout day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.–Adlai E. Stevenson) also contributed with a 2-for-3 performance and a run scored.

Defensively, the Titans played a clean, error-free game while capitalizing on four Wheaton miscues. IWU also out-hit the Thunder, 15-12.

Illinois Wesleyan wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard in game two. Ferraro singled to center and advanced to third on an outfield error. He then scampered home on a wild pitch to give IWU a 1-0 lead.

The Titans added two more in the third. Morelli singled and was driven home by Gadomski, who delivered a perfect shot through the left side. One pitch later, Tomhave ripped a ball to right center, and another Wheaton miscue allowed a second run to score, extending the lead to 3-0.

But the Thunder stormed back in the bottom of the third, plating seven runs to take a 7-3 lead.
IWU chipped away with a run in the fifth, as Ford crossed the plate. The Titans then made it a one-run game in the sixth thanks to runs from Gurgone and Ferraro, trimming the deficit to 7-6.
Wheaton added another run in the seventh, pushing the score to 8-6, but the Titans had more late-inning magic in store.

In the eighth, IWU reclaimed the lead. Figus reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a walk by Wolfe. Ford came through with a clutch RBI single to right, bringing the Titans within one. Senior Casey Swanson (Minooka, Ill.–Minooka) came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit single to left center, scoring both Ford and Wolfe to give IWU a 9-8 edge.

The Titans weren't done though, and three more runs followed from Hudik, Tomhave, and freshman Derek Ittner (Bloomingdale, Ill.–Lake Park), giving IWU an 11-8 cushion that would hold through the final inning.

The Titans will be back home on Tuesday, April 22 against CCIW rival Millikin University. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Jack Horenberger field.
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