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Jack Flagg and Kellar
ASHTIN ELDER PHOTO
17
Winner Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES 1-0
10
Greenville GREENVIL 0-4
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES
1-0
17
Final
10
Greenville GREENVIL
0-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES 0 1 2 0 0 2 11 1 0 17 16 1
Greenville GREENVIL 0 3 0 5 0 0 0 0 2 10 12 4

W: Tomhave , Brennan (2-0) L: B. Morel (0-1)

9
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES 1-1
10
Winner Greenville GREENVIL 1-4
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES
1-1
9
Final
10
Greenville GREENVIL
1-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES 1 1 1 0 2 2 2 0 0 9 16 1
Greenville GREENVIL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 10 14 0

W: G. Ipanis (1-1) L: Costello, Luke (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Offenses Shines in Baseball’s Split at Greenville

Flagg records first career multi home run game

GREENVILLE, Ill.- The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team picked up its first win of the year in a split against Greenville University at Robert E. Smith field Wednesday Feb. 18. The Titan bats powered their way to a game one score of 17-10, while Greenville walked it off, 10-9, in game two. IWU boosts its record to 1-1 early in the campaign, while Greenville bumps to 1-3.

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 17, Greenville, 10
A big day at the plate by senior Jack Flagg (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park-River Forest) and sophomore AJ Weller (Geneseo, Ill.-Geneseo) in game one led the way as the Titans scored 14 unanswered runs to come from behind. The duo went back-to-back to start the home run party in the top of the sixth. 

Senior Jake Pullam (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) found himself in trouble early in the first. The senior allowed a leadoff hit, which was erased by a caught stealing, followed by a grounder to short for two quick outs. Pullam then allowed the next three batters on via a hit by pitch, a single to left, and a free pass. With the bases loaded, the senior proceeded to get a roll over ground ball on a couple hops to third baseman Derek Ittner (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park) who stepped on third to get out of the jam. 

Illinois Wesleyan struck first in the top of the second as Weller recorded his first hit as a Titan poking a triple into the left-center gap. Weller was brought home after junior Eli Kieser (Bloomington, Ill.-University High) sent a high fly ball to the left field corner for a sacrifice fly.

An inning later, the Panthers placed two runners on before a loud triple off the bat of Joseph Guzman drove in two runners to leap frog IWU for a 2-1 lead, before GU tacked on one more in the inning.

Sophomore Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) started the third inning with a leadoff walk which brought up junior John Phillip Ferraro (Orland Park, Ill.-Orland Park River Forest), who roped a line into the right center gap. Hustling from first base, Hudik beat the tag at the plate to draw the score closer, 3-2, as Ferraro made his way to third on the throw home. Weller sent a fly out to center field which brought Philip home as the Titans tied the game at three. Pullam responded with a scoreless bottom half which included a double play started by Ittner at third. 

Greenville responded with a big fourth inning. Pullam conceded baserunners as he let up a walk and a hit by pitch as four hits brought in five runs for the Panthers. Sophomore Brennan Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield) relieved Pullam to pitch a scoreless fifth inning before the Titan bats woke up. Pullam (ND, 0-0) allowed eight runs across 3.2 frames and struck out two.

In a 34 minute long top of the seventh, the Titan bats exploded for eight hits and 11 runs. A single by Hudik and a pair of free passes to sophomore Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.-Waubonise Valley) and junior Ferraro set the table for more damage from Flagg. The senior belted another home run over the center field wall, this time with bases loaded, for a 9-8 IWU lead. The runs kept coming in the seventh as the next eight batters reached base safely with Ferraro doubling down the right field line for a 15-8 advantage. The 11 runs scored in the seventh are the most Illinois Wesleyan has scored in one inning since it put up 15 in the third inning April 8, 2017 at Carroll.

Tomhave quieted the noisy Panther bats working 4.2 innings allowing four hits and one earned run, striking out three. Senior Marshall Ingold (Rochester, Ill.-Rochester) threw the remainder to close out game one. Ingold retired two batters to put an end to the high-scoring affair.

Flagg ended his career day with his first ever multi home run game and recorded a career-high five RBIs. Weller impressed in his first game as a Titan finishing a double shy of the cycle. The shortstop went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate and drove in two. Ferraro picked up where he left off last season, driving in three runs on two hits including a double. Ford and junior Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson) drove in a pair of runs as five Titans drove in multiple scorers. 

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 9, Greenville, 10
Illinois Wesleyan's bats stayed ready in game two but let a lead slip away as Greenville crossed the plate eight times in the ninth inning to walk it off.

Hudik enjoyed a 4-for-6 game with four singles and an RBI. The speedy centerfielder swiped a career high four bags after stealing five a season ago. Weller contributed four more hits, two doubles, and a trio of RBIs. Ferraro and Flagg also ended with multi hit games.

After Hudik and Ford were retired to start the game, back-to-back singles by Ferraro and Flagg set up Weller who capped off the cycle for the day as he doubled in Ferraro for an early 1-0 advantage. The Green and White responded with another run in the second inning on some small ball after a bunt single by senior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington). Senior Tommy Willard (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt which led to a Hudik single to plate Wolfe, who slid in inches before the tag.

Sophomore Cole Benson (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) toed the rubber to start game two. Out of the gate, after run support from the offense, Benson flirted with trouble after a pair of base runners appeared on base via a double and a walk. The sophomore used a pair of flyouts to get out of the first and finished off the Panthers in order in the ensuing inning. Benson surrendered his first run in the third inning on just one hit. A single to lead things off led to a stolen base, a sacrifice bunt and eventually a sacrifice fly to get GU on the scoreboard. Benson would go on to pitch a scoreless fifth to end his season debut.

The Flagg-Weller duo were at it again in the fifth inning. Flagg worked a base on balls to give way to Weller who snuck an RBI double down the right field line. Another Kieser sacrifice fly scored Weller for a 5-1 IWU advantage.

Senior Will Davidsmeier (Virginia, Ill.-Beardstown) stepped in for Benson in the bottom of the sixth. The right hander hit the first man he saw and followed that with a passed ball, before dancing out of trouble and right back into it in the seventh. Davidsmeier worked through a pair of walks to strand the bases loaded. 

In the eighth, Weller singled but the next three batters went quiet to strand him at second. Davidsmeier headed back out for the eighth. A pair of walks and a hit by pitch filled the bases for Greenville, who took advantage with a single, which scored a run to head to the ninth. 

Illinois Wesleyan took a commanding 9-2 lead into the ninth inning but saw it slip away as Greenville tagged the Titan bullpen for eight runs to complete the comeback and stun IWU.

Illinois Wesleyan heads back down to Greenville, Ill. Thursday, Feb. 19 for the rubber match of the three-game set. First pitch from Robert E. Smith is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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