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JP Ferraro bats against Illinois Tech Tuesday, April 7
Luigi Lam
6
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 8-16
8
Winner Carthage CARTHAGE 9-16
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
8-16
6
Final
8
Carthage CARTHAGE
9-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 6 13 0
Carthage CARTHAGE 2 0 2 1 1 0 0 2 X 8 12 3

W: Brendan Roberts (2-3) L: Pullam, Jake (0-3) S: Nate Tyrpin (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball’s Comeback Falls Short in Loss to Carthage

Titans and Firebirds wrap up series tomorrow in Bloomington

KENOSHA, Wis.- Three Carthage College home runs powered the Firebirds past Illinois Wesleyan University baseball, 8-6, as the Titans' comeback fell short at Augie Schmidt Field Saturday, April 11. The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin showdown moved IWU to 8-16 and 4-4 in league play, while CC improved to 9-16 and 2-7 in the CCIW.

Junior John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) carried the Titan bats with three hits, including a solo home run and a double. Senior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) put together his third three-hit performance of the season, adding a run batted in. Sophomore Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and senior Jack Flagg (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) each added two hits as IWU outhit Carthage 13-12. 

On the mound for the Green and White to begin the ball game was senior Cole Shamhart (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest). Shamhart put together four innings and fell victim to five runs on six hits. The senior induced three grounders for outs and four flyouts to go with five strikeouts. Senior Jake Pullam (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) took the ball to begin the fifth and lasted into the seventh inning. Pullam put together a solid performance on short rest, allowing just one run on three hits. Freshmen Myles Hammond (Libertyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) and Brayden Elliott (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley) went the final inning and two thirds. Hammond suffered two runs on two hits. Elliott faced just three batters, getting two outs on flyballs.

The Titans found themselves in a similar position as they did the past couple of games, down early. The Firebirds set down the top of the Illinois Wesleyan lineup in order and carried the momentum into the bottom half. A single and a one out double quickly found trouble for Shamhart placing runners at second and third. With first base open, Shamhart walked the five-hole hitter and the sixth batter in the inning singled into left to plate one. A sacrifice fly for out number two gave Carthage a 2-0 lead. 

Ferraro started the top of the second with a double over the left fielder's head which would lead to station to station baseball for the Titan offense. Junior Jack Novak (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) bounced a ball back to the pitcher to move Ferraro to third and junior Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson) brought him in on a run-scoring groundout to the second baseman to cut the lead in half. Shamhart responded with a scoreless second to bring the offense back up in the third. 

Sophomore Michael Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) stepped up to the plate with Wolfe on first, who singled to start the inning, and moved him to third on a throwing error by the second baseman to set up runners on the corners for Hudik. Turning it over to the top of the lineup, Hudik singled up the middle to knot the score at two. With sophomore Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.-Waubonsie Valley) at the dish, a curve in the dirt could not be corralled by the catcher, and an errant throw sailed into center trying to cut down Hudik, but ended up scoring Gurgone for a 3-2 Titan lead.

Carthage responded by leapfrogging IWU, capitalizing on a lead-off walk with a two-run home run to make it 4-3. Illinois Wesleyan produced another opportunity in the fourth after a two-out double and a walk. A groundout spoiled the opportunity and brought CC up to build its lead with another home run. The Firebirds struck again in the fifth after Pullam sat down the first two batters. A single into right plagued with a wild pitch put CC in scoring position and a single into right made the Firebirds' lead 6-3.

Illinois Wesleyan would not back down as Ferraro continued his big day with an opposite field solo home run to lead off the sixth. The Green and White's persistent attempt at a comeback came full circle tying the game in the eighth. The ever dreadful lead off walk sparked the frame and Morelli singled to set up a sacrifice bunt from Flagg. Wolfe blistered a single into left to bring the Titans within one, 6-5. Following a strikeout to put out number two on the board, Hudik came up clutch with a bouncing ball up the middle for an infield single to plate Morelli and tie the score once again.

The response from Carthage was another solo home run to regain the lead, 7-6, with one out in the eighth. A single coupled with a walk put runners on first and second before Elliott replaced Hammond. The first batter Elliott faced singled up the middle to extend CC's lead and put runners on the corner. The freshman righty got the next two batters to fly out to cap the eighth. 

Needing another rally in the ninth, the Green and White put two runners on thanks to a single and a walk. With the tying run on first and two outs, Flagg grounded to third to stunt the comeback and fall short.

IWU and Carthage will resume its two-game set in Bloomington, Ill. tomorrow, April 12, at Horenberger field with first pitch at 1 p.m.
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