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Kellar coaching end of season 2025
7
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 28-15
11
Winner North Central Colleg NCC 26-17
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
28-15
7
Final
11
North Central Colleg NCC
26-17
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 7 11 0
North Central Colleg NCC 3 0 2 0 2 3 0 1 X 11 15 0

W: Diaz, Payton (3-1) L: Costello, Luke (3-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Falls to North Central in CCIW Tournament

Titans finish 2025 season 28-15

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team ended its season in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Championship Saturday, May 10, falling to North Central College. The Titans ended their season 28-15, while North Central improves to 26-17 and earns the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

Senior Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) led the offense, going 2-for-3, and scored a run as well. Senior Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield) went 3-for-5 adding a double, and a run. 

Junior Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) started the game, going three innings and was tagged with five runs on six hits. Junior Luke Costello (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) came in for relief, pitching 2.1 innings. With six hits resulting in four earned runs, the junior got hit with the loss, bumping him to 3-2 on the season. Senior Brady Hartman (Milan, Ill.-Sherrard) replaced Costello, and the senior pitched 1.2 innings, spreading out two hits and a run. Junior Cole Shamhart (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) finished the game on the bump for the Green and White, as he pitched the bottom of the eighth, giving up one hit and a run. All four pitchers finished with a strikeout. 

The Titans came out swinging, putting two quick runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Freshman Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.–Lincoln-Way East) drew a leadoff walk to set the tone. Just one batter later, senior Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.–Schaumburg) launched a two-run home run over the left field fence, giving IWU an early 2-0 lead.
North Central answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, plating three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The Cardinals kept the momentum going, tacking on two more in both the third and fifth innings to stretch their advantage to 7-2.

Illinois Wesleyan refused to back down, rallying in the top of the sixth with a five-run outburst to even the score. Gadomski sparked the comeback with a single up the middle, followed by a double from senior Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.–Pittsfield) to put runners on second and third. Senior Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.–St. Laurence) came through with a clutch base hit up the middle, bringing in both runners to cut the deficit to 7-4.

Senior Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, Ill.–Buffalo Grove) kept the rally alive with a single of his own, pushing Gurgone to third. Junior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.–Bloomington) followed with a double to right, scoring Gurgone and moving Figus into scoring position. With the bases loaded after a walk to freshman Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.–Waubonsie Valley), senior Tyler Woltman (Wheaton, Ill.–Wheaton North) delivered a bloop-single to left field, bringing the Titans within one at 7-6.

Hudik then reached base on a fielders' choice, as his ground ball to the shortstop gave Wolfe time to score with the out at second, putting runners on the corners. With Wolfe crossing home, the Green and White completed the comeback, making it 7-7 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

However, North Central regained control and showed its composure in the late innings, putting up four runs to pull away and ultimately seal an 11-7 win.

With the loss, IWU completes its first year under head coach Michael Kellar. The 28 wins marks a five-win improvement from the previous season and saw the Titans win the CCIW Regular Season for the first time since 2013. The Green and White graduate 13 following the season finale, and are set to return 34 for the 2026 campaign.
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