Millikin Baseball Sweeps Series from Illinois Wesleyan

DECATUR, Illinois—The Millikin baseball team completed their sweep of Illinois Wesleyan on April 20 at Sunnyside Park in Decatur winning 9-4.

The Big Blue outslugged the Titans in a game that saw four homeruns and 11 total runs scored in the first two innings alone. Illinois Wesleyan got on the board first in the top of the first on a three-run homerun, but Millikin cut the Titan lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning on a Brent Beals (Effingham, H.S.) homerun that also scored Kyle Kane (Westmont, Lewis University). Beals and Kane both scored two runs on the day for the Big Blue.

Millikin erupted in the bottom of the second inning, which was highlighted by back-to-back homeruns by Andrew Auton (Decatur, Mt. Zion H.S.) and Frank Bryan (Plainfield, Plainfield East H.S.). Auton was 3-5 on the day with the three RBI and scored two runs.

A key moment in the game came in the fifth inning when the Titans loaded the bases with one outs. Pitcher Jack Morgan (Manteno, H.S.) entered the game and was able to work out of a jam without allowing a Wesleyan run to score. Morgan earned the win on the mound throwing three hitless innings while striking out five.

Millikin won both games of a doubleheader at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington on April 19. Millikin won game one 4-3 and took game two 3-2.

In game one, Millikin jumped on the board in the top of the first inning on a Mason Bruce (Decatur, Mt. Zion H.S.) two-run single, and the Big Blue did not trail for the rest of the evening. Bruce was 2-4 in game one with the two RBI. An RBI double for IWU made the game 2-1 in the bottom of the first, but starting pitcher Connor Gross (Bement, H.S.) settled down and dominated the rest of the way for Millikin on his way to striking out nine in his seven and two-thirds innings of work. Bryan ripped an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning to make the game 3-1, and Gabe Soria (Naperville, Naperville Central H.S.) followed that with an RBI single of his own to make the game 4-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth. IWU threatened in the bottom of the eighth, but Millikin reliever Jared Buzan (Crete, Illinois Lutheran H.S.) battled and escaped the inning with a 4-3 lead. Ryan Dobey (St. Charles, Mo., Francis Howell North H.S.) retired all three batters that he faced in the ninth inning for the save and the Millikin victory.

Game two showcased incredible pitching performances from Millikin starter Ben Williamson and Illinois Wesleyan starter Evan Hill. There were no hits in the game until Millikin broke through in the top of the fifth inning on a Kane RBI single that followed a double off the left field fence by Bryan. In the top of the eighth inning, Millikin added some insurance runs on an RBI single by Soria, as well as Kane drawing a bases loaded walk.

To lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, back to back doubles for IWU made the game 3-2, and a subsequent walk allowed the potential winning run to reach first base for the Titans with no one out in the inning. Morgan entered the game out of the bullpen and retired three Wesleyan hitters in a row to earn the save.

Millikin lost both games of a doubleheader to College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin first-place team Augustana, 4-2 and 2-1 on April 16 in Decatur.

Millikin jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on an Auton single that scored Bruce. Bruce was 2-3 in game one and was the only Big Blue hitter with multiple hits. Luke Azzarelli (Kankakee, Herscher H.S.) had a run scoring single for the Big Blue in the fourth inning.

Millikin lost game two despite a strong pitching performance from Beals struck out eight and walked just one over seven innings before yielding back-to-back Viking homeruns.

Millikin is 15-15 on the season and 10-8 in CCIW play. The Big Blue play at Greenville on April 23 and return home to host Elmhurst College on April 24.