Postgame handshake line following win against Blackburn April 29, 2025

Baseball to Host CCIW Tournament

Titans eye first NCAA berth since 2014

5/7/2025 10:00:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - After winning its first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season Championship since 2013, the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team will host the CCIW Tournament as the No. 1 seed Wednesday-Saturday, May 7-10. The Titans (26-13, 16-4 CCIW) will take on the lowest remaining seed of Wednesday's games on Thursday, May 8, at 12 p.m. at Jack Horenberger Field.

The tournament will begin with fourth-seed Millikin University taking on No. 5 Wheaton College at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. Following the conclusion of that game, No. 3 Carthage College will face sixth-seed North Park University with a tentative 5:30 p.m. first pitch.

Earning CCIW Coach of the Year in his first year leading the program, head coach Michael Kellar and the Titans had eight student-athletes earn All-CCIW honors, announced by the league Tuesday, May 6. Seniors Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield) and Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg), as well as junior Jake Pullam (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) were named First Team All-CCIW, while seniors Tyler Woltman (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton North), Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence), juniors Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) and Jack Flagg (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), and sophomore John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) were second team all-conference selections. It marks the most All-CCIW selections for IWU since nine Titans earned the accolade in 2008.

IWU capped off its regular season with a thrilling three-game sweep of Carthage to win the conference title outright and bring the CCIW Tournament back to Bloomington, Ill., for the first time since 2013. That year, the Titans battled back by winning two consolation games to make the championship before falling to Augustana. This weekend saw the Green and White sweep Carthage at home after winning on the road the day before. Friday's game featured a 9-4 win in Kenosha, Wis., and Illinois Wesleyan topped the Firebirds behind scores of 5-2 and 6-4 Saturday, May 3. In the first game Saturday, senior Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) launched a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to push the Titans ahead, ultimately locking up hosting rights and a share of the conference title.

The Titans enter the tournament with the best batting average in the league, as the team has hit .333 for the season, a mark that ranks 23rd in Division III. Leading the way, Tomhave holds a .386 batting average, the second-highest in the CCIW, while his on-base percentage of .483 leads the league. Hitting .384 on the season, Gadomski has had a superb season, as he leads the nation in doubles with 26, the most in a single season in program history, and is averaging 0.65 per game, a mark that also ranks first in Division III. Tomhave leads the crew with 44 RBIs on the season, while Gadomski's 68 hits are a team-high. Freshman Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) leads the team in walks, having drawn 23 in his first collegiate season.

Pullam leads the pitchers for Illinois Wesleyan, as he enters with a 6-0 record and two saves over 51.2 innings pitched with a 2.44 ERA. On the mound, the junior has recorded 48 strikeouts while scattering 37 hits and 14 earned runs, limiting opponents to a .202 batting average. Junior Will Davidsmeier (Virginia, Ill.-Beardstown) brings in a 5.11 ERA with team-highs of 56.1 innings pitched and 52 strikeouts. Junior Luke Costello (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) leads the relief crew, as he has recorded a team-best four saves in 26.2 innings of work this season.

The Green and White will host the conference tournament for the eighth time, previously hosting in 1992, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2013. Illinois Wesleyan makes its 34th appearance in the tournament, which enters its 38th year of existence. The Titans eye their first CCIW Tournament Championship since 2014, and have won it six times total (1989, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014). With an automatic qualifier bid at stake, Illinois Wesleyan also looks to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014, and the 12th in program history.

Information regarding the tournament, as well as live stats and live stream links can be found on iwusports.com under baseball's schedule page.

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