BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team edged out a tight 9-8 win over non-conference opponent Blackburn College on Tuesday, April 29. With the victory, the Titans improve to 22-13 on the season, while the Beavers drop to 7-28.

Illinois Wesleyan opted for a bullpen approach, using six pitchers throughout the game. Senior Brady Hartman (Milan, Ill.-Sherrard) got the start, while fellow senior Luke Schwab (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) earned the win after tossing 2.2 innings and striking out two.

Offensively, the Titans were led by seniors Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence) and Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg). Gurgone went 3-for-4 with a double, a run, and three RBIs. Gadomski added a 3-for-5 performance, including two doubles, three RBIs, and scampered home for a run. Defensively, IWU played a clean game, committing no errors.

The Green and White wasted no time getting on the board. In the bottom of the first, Gadomski ripped a double to left-center and scored on Gurgone's single to left. Gurgone advanced to third on a throwing error and was driven in by sophomore John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), giving the Titans an early 2-0 lead.

Freshman Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) added to the tally in the third, scoring on another Gurgone single to push the lead to 3-0. However, Blackburn responded in the fifth with a five-run outburst to take a 5-3 lead.

IWU rallied in the bottom of the fifth to even the score. Sophomore Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson) crossed the plate on a single by senior Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield), who then scored off a deep double to left by Gurgone, knotting the game at 5-5.

The Titans reclaimed the lead in the sixth. Morelli brought in junior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) with a sacrifice fly, and Gadomski came through once again with an RBI single to drive in junior Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), giving IWU a 7-5 edge.

Blackburn mounted a response in the seventh, scoring three to go back on top, 8-7. But the Titans had the final word in the eighth. Hudik and freshman Derek Ittner (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park) both scored on another clutch double from Gadomski, securing a 9-8 lead that the bullpen held to close out the win.

Illinois Wesleyan returns to action Wednesday, April 30, traveling to Waukesha, Wis. to take on College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe Carroll University. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Frame Park.