BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- Junior Luca Morelli's (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Adlai E. Stevenson) three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning completed the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team's comeback against Wheaton College, taking the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin clash, 9-7, Tuesday, April 21, at Jack Horenberger Field. IWU's record moves to 12-18 overall and 8-6 in CCIW play, as the Titans have won five out of their last six games. Wheaton slides to 14-18 on the year, 7-9 in league games.
The comeback came thanks in large part to the outfield duo of sophomore Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and junior Jack Novak (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central). Hudik recorded two hits with three RBI's, including his game-tying two-bagger. Novak added his third homerun in the past week and the fifth of his career. Morrelli's three-run blast was his lone hit of the game, but he added another run off a hit by pitch.
Sophomore Brennan Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield) settled in after a rough first inning. The starter worked a solid five innings, giving up two hits, and a pair of runs. He struck out three and walked five, with a trio of them coming in the first. First out of the bullpen was freshman Anthony Fry (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville). The rookie pitched just the sixth before handing the ball over to junior Caleb Martinez (Wheeling, Ill.-Wheeling). Martinez shined in his outing, going two shutout with one hit and a strikeout. Freshman Brayden Elliott (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City, Melvin-Sibley) issued a pair of walks and a single into center, but closed the door for his fourth save of the season.
Wheaton put the game's first baserunner on base thanks to a leadoff walk. Tomhave set the next batter down on strikes, but walked the following on a 10-pitch at bat. The Thunder cashed in on the walks, as the five-hole hitter doubled into right center, scoring one, and back-to-back free passes brought home the other.
Hudik and the top of the Illinois Wesleyan order, responded with three hits in the bottom of the first. The lefty started the attack with a single and moved to second on a basehit from sophomore Ben Ford (Naperville, Ill.-Waubonsie Valley). In a run-scoring situation,
John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) blooped a fly down the left field line to cut the lead in half, 2-1.
The scoreboard remained blank over the next four innings, with both pitchers working in-and-out of trouble. IWU changed the score in the fifth, as sophomore AJ Weller (Geneseo, Ill.-Geneseo) started the inning with a hard-hit single over the second baseman's head. Ford worked a four-pitch walk for Ferraro who drilled a ball into the ground for a fielder's choice, but a wild throw to first let Weller come around to tie the game. A high fly into center found grass for Flagg, passing the baton to Morelli. The slugging catcher lifted a routine fly into right, and a strong throw home was in time to cut down Ferraro trying to score.
The Thunder stormed back with a crooked number in the top of the sixth to break the tie. Jumping off a new arm out of the bullpen, a sharp single off Ferraro's glove led to a homerun to left, making it 4-2. Senior Tommy Willard (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grover South) tracked down a flyball in foul territory, near the brick wall, for out number one, but a hit batsman followed along with a fly to right. With two down in the inning, WC sandwiched a walk and a pair of singles for a 6-2 advantage.
Illinois Wesleyan scored for the second straight inning with a run in the sixth to cut into the deficit. Senior Gage Wolfe (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) started the frame with a single into center and moved to second on a walk to Willard. A heady delayed steal moved Wolfe up 90 feet, and Hudik grounded a ball to second to score him. Martinez threw up a zero in the seventh to welcome the hungry Titan bats back to the plate in the next inning.
Novak ambushed a ball over the 365 sign in right-center to help the Green and White crawl back within two. Two flyouts in the inning looked to stave off any sort of comeback, but three straight hit by pitches loaded the bases for IWU. Turning to the top of the order, Hudik used the left field line to place a perfect bloop and bring in the tying runs before Morelli's game-winning roundtripper polished off the come-from-behind win.
Illinois Wesleyan is back in action tomorrow, April 22, with a matinee against Illinois College. IWU and IC will get underway at 1 p.m. on Joe Brooks Baseball Field in Jacksonville, Ill.
