BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team returned to the win column in dominant fashion Wednesday night, April 9, with a 13-3 run-rule victory over Monmouth College in non-conference action at Horenberger Field. The Titans improved to 13-11 on the season, while the Fighting Scots dropped to 9-15.

IWU utilized a bullpen game on the mound, starting with senior Brady Hartman (Milan, Ill.-Sherrard), followed by junior Jonathan Ciullo (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) and sophomore Caleb Martinez (Wheeling, Ill.-Wheeling), each tossing one inning. Freshman Cade Addis (Fairbury, Ill.-Prairie Central) and sophomore Marshall Ingold (Rochester, Ill.-Rochester) each pitched two frames. Addis tallied two strikeouts en route to earning the win, marking the first of his career. 

At the plate, senior Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield) led the way, going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored. Junior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) added a 2-for-4 performance, driving in a run and crossing the plate twice.

The Titans tallied 13 runs on 11 hits,including four doubles, while playing error-free defense.

IWU opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, plating two runs mostly via walks, including as senior Casey Swanson (Minooka, Ill.-Minooka) and freshman Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.-Waubonsie Valley) crossed home plate. 

Monmouth briefly took the lead with three runs in the top of the third, but IWU had a large response in the fifth inning. Tomhave led off with a single, followed by a hit from senior Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence) and walk from sophomore Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson). A sacrifice fly by Ford tied the game at 3-3 before Wolfe's RBI single put the Titans back on top. Senior William Duff (Western Springs, Ill.-St. Ignatius) added a sacrifice fly of his own to bring home another run, and a two-run double from senior Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg) capped a five-run frame to make it 7-3.

The offensive surge continued in the sixth, with five more runs crossing the plate. Ford and Wolfe each singled before Duff's double added another tally. Gadomski followed with a two-run single, and Tomhave added a two-run double to stretch the lead to 12-3.

IWU sealed the run-rule win in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) drove in Swanson to end the game at 13-3.

The Titans will return to College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play this weekend in a three-game series against Augustana College. IWU travels to Swanson Stadium in Rock Island, Ill. for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 12, before hosting the finale at Jack Horenberger Field on Sunday, April 13.