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Crowded Dugout high fives Hudik who scored
Audrey Peterson
18
Benedictine (IL) BENU 12-17
22
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 9-17
Benedictine (IL) BENU
12-17
18
Final
22
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
9-17
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Benedictine (IL) BENU 5 0 1 2 5 5 0 0 0 18 16 1
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0 5 0 4 2 2 1 8 X 22 21 2

W: Turner, Nolan (1-0) L: Samuel Garland (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Prevails in Slugfest with Benedictine

Titans put up most runs since 2022

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- An eighth-inning comeback surged the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team past Benedictine University, 22-18, at Horenberger Field Tuesday night, April 14th. With the win, the Titans improve to 9-17 on the season behind the third-most run tally in a game in program history. On the flipside, Benedictine plummeted to 12-17.

In a game that saw runs in every inning but the ninth, sophomore AJ Weller (Geneseo, Ill.-Geneseo) notched four hits and six RBIs, including a towering three-run blast. He added a career-high three stolen bases. Junior Jack Novak's (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) career-day featured five hits and five RBIs, including a solo shot to center field. Sophomore Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) went a perfect 5-for-5, including two walks while also stealing two bags. Hudik's five-hit game and four runs scored were also career-bests. 

Novak and Hudik recorded the Titans' first five-hit performance of the season, and the first since Justin Gadomski did so against Baruch, March 10, 2025. The 22 runs come in at their fourth-most all-time and the highest total since putting up 23 at Carthage College April 3, 2022.

The pitching staff began with senior Jack Flagg (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) going the first three innings, eating six hits and seven runs. He struck out one before handing the ball to senior Nathan Waterman (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), who pitched the fourth inning, giving up the next four runs on six hits. The backend of the bullpen solidified the win, as juniors Sean Hollendoner (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) and Nolan Turner (Morton, Ill.-Morton) combined for three innings, letting up just one earned run. Freshman Brayden Elliott (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City-Melvin Sibley) entered in the ninth to close the door for the second time in a week. 

The Eagles flew out to a fast 5-0 lead in the first on a towering grand slam on the heels of a pair of two-out walks. The BenU lead dissolved quickly with a five spot from the Titans in the bottom of the second. Singles from Novak and Flagg put runners in scoring position for senior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington), who answered with a knock into right to put IWU on the board. A fielder's choice and a walk put two on for Weller. The sophomore tied the game with a three-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark. 

Hudik got the Titans rolling in the fourth inning with a single to left field. Weller followed with a walk to put two runners on for junior John Philip Ferraro's (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) double down the left field line, scoring both runners to put the Green and White within one run. Novak singled down the right field line, bringing in Ferraro to tie up the game once again at 8-8. Flagg quickly put IWU ahead as he brought in Novak to take a one run lead. 

A pair of singles by Hudik and Weller placed two on base for the home team in the bottom of the fifth. An infield hit by Novak scored Weller along with a heady baserunning move by Hudik as the Green and White inched back. With the Titans charging, the Eagles lifted their wings in the sixth to plate five in the frame, with a big two-out double making it 18-11. The lefty duo of Hudik and Weller were back at it in the sixth, stringing together back-to-back singles to score a pair of runs to cut the lead to five.

Down four with six outs to work with, senior Tommy Willard (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) and Hudik reached and found themselves in scoring position for Weller. With two strikes, Weller doubled down the left field line, scoring two and cutting the deficit in half, 18-16. After a walk from sophomore Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.-Waubonsie Valley) coupled with Ferraro getting hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded when Novak scorched a ball to left field making it a one-run ballgame. 

Junior Luca Morelli (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson) walked, advancing everyone up 90 feet, to tie the game up at 18 all. Still with the bases loaded and no outs, Flagg singled up the middle to bring in a pair, giving Illinois Wesleyan a 20-18 advantage, its first lead since the fifth inning. Wolfe advanced runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, followed by Willard with a sacrifice fly. Hudik singled up the middle adding another insurance run, giving the Titans a four-run cushion heading into the final frame. After two quick outs in the top of the ninth, Elliott allowed a pair of baserunners, but induced a weak ground ball to Ferraro at first, who stepped on the bag to secure the win.

IWU will rise for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin bout with Elmhurst University tomorrow, April 15. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Horenberger Field.
 
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