Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Benson throwing pitch straight on
13
Winner North Central Colleg NCC 25-17
5
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 27-14
Winner
North Central Colleg NCC
25-17
13
Final
5
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
27-14
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
North Central Colleg NCC 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 5 2 13 13 0
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 5 15 2

W: Duvall, Brian (4-1) L: Davidsmeier, Will (3-3) S: Hammond, Elijah (3)

8
Winner Illinois Wesleyan IWU 28-14
3
Carthage College CARTHAGE 30-14
Winner
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
28-14
8
Final
3
Carthage College CARTHAGE
30-14
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 3 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 8 11 1
Carthage College CARTHAGE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 5 0

W: Benson, Cole (4-3) L: W. Modory (5-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Moves Onto CCIW Championship Game

IWU loses game one against NCC, bounces back against CC

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team sees at least one more day of game play as they move onto the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Championship. The Titans started off Friday May 9, with a game against North Central, tumbling to the Cardinals 13-5, before mounting a comeback against Carthage College, 8-3. Illinois Wesleyan moves to 28-14 on the season after both games, while Carthage drops to 30-14 and North Central sits at 25-17. 

Game One: IWU 5, NCC 13
Seniors Cade Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.–Pittsfield) and Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, Ill.–Schaumburg), and junior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.–Bloomington) each turned in solid performances at the plate, going 2-for-4. Tomhave added a run scored, while Gadomski contributed an RBI in the effort.

On the mound, junior Will Davidsmeier (Virginia, Ill.–Beardstown) got the start for the Titans, tossing six innings and recording one strikeout. He was tagged with the loss despite a strong early showing. The Titans also saw action from four relievers: juniors Luke Costello (Downers Grove, Ill.–Downers Grove South) and Cole Shamhart (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest), sophomore Caleb Martinez (Wheeling, Ill.–Wheeling), and senior Luke Schwab (Downers Grove, Ill.–Downers Grove South).

North Central wasted no time getting on the board, launching a solo home run in its second at-bat to take an early 1-0 lead.
Illinois Wesleyan responded in the bottom of the second. Senior Tristan Figus (Arlington Heights, Ill.–Buffalo Grove) led off with a double to right center. Wolfe laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Figus to third, who then came home on a groundout by the shortstop to even the score at 1-1.

The Titans grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third. Freshman Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.–Lincoln-Way East) doubled to right center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored moments later on a sacrifice fly, giving IWU a 2-1 advantage.
However, the Cardinals answered in the top of the fourth, putting up three runs to retake the lead, 4-2. North Central added two more in the seventh behind a two-run home run, stretching the gap to 6-2.

IWU showed fight in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run surge. Tomhave singled up the middle, followed by a base hit from senior Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.–St. Laurence). Sophomore John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) came through in the clutch with a towering double to left center, scoring both Tomhave and Gurgone to make it 6-4. Ferraro advanced to third on a wild pitch and then crossed the plate on a single by Figus, trimming the deficit to just one run, 6-5.

But North Central responded quickly and decisively, plating five runs in the top of the eighth to take an 11-5 lead. The Cardinals added two more in the ninth, ultimately sealing a 13-5 victory and halting the Titans' comeback bid.

Game Two: Titans 8, Firebirds 3 
Freshman Cole Benson (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) took the mound in game two for Illinois Wesleyan and delivered a steady performance, pitching seven innings and striking out three. Benson earned the win, his fourth of the season, as he kept the Carthage offense quiet through most of the contest. Senior Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.–Springfield) came on in relief for the final two innings, allowing one run but closing the door to preserve the Titans' lead.

At the plate, senior Tyler Woltman (Wheaton, Ill.–Wheaton North) had a strong outing, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Junior Jack Flagg (River Forest, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) went 2-for-4 and added an RBI as the Titans powered their way to an 8-3 victory.

IWU came out swinging, putting up three runs in the top of the first inning. After Gadomski reached base, Tomhave followed with a single up the middle to place runners on first and second. Gurgone then ripped a double down the left field line, bouncing it off the bag and into the air to easily bring Gadomski home. Moments later, Ferraro delivered a two-run single through the right side, scoring both Tomhave and Gurgone to give the Titans an early 3-0 lead.

IWU added to its advantage in the top of the fourth. Figus reached base on a walk, then advanced into scoring position with a stolen base. Flagg came through with a single to left field, bringing Figus around to extend the lead to 4-0.

The Titans padded their lead in the top of the seventh with two more runs. Woltman led off with a popup single to shortstop, followed by a line drive single down the left field line by Hudik. A walk from Gadomski loaded the bases, and another free pass to Tomhave brought in Woltman to make it 5-0. Gurgone grounded out to shortstop on the next pitch, but it was enough to allow Hudik to score, increasing the lead to 6-0.

Carthage managed to rally in the bottom of the eighth, pushing across three runs to cut the deficit in half at 6-3. But IWU quickly responded in the top of the ninth. Woltman crossed home again after a Gadomski single to right, and Gadomski later came around to score on a base hit from Gurgone, putting the game out of reach at 8-3.

With the win, Illinois Wesleyan forces a final day showdown in the CCIW Tournament. In the double-elimination format, North Central, undefeated in tournament play, needs just one win to clinch the title. The Titans, however, must win both games tomorrow to secure the conference championship and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Friday at Jack Horenberger Field.
Print Friendly Version