The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team earned its first win of the season with a split doubleheader against Greenville University at Robert E. Smith Field on Wednesday, February 18. The Titans won the opening game 17-10, while Greenville secured a walk-off victory in game two, 10-9. This result moves Illinois Wesleyan to a 1-1 record early in the season and Greenville to 1-3.
In the first game, senior Jack Flagg and sophomore AJ Weller led an offensive surge for Illinois Wesleyan, contributing to a stretch of 14 unanswered runs. Both players hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning. Senior pitcher Jake Pullam faced early challenges but managed to escape a bases-loaded situation in the first inning with help from third baseman Derek Ittner.
Illinois Wesleyan scored first in the second inning when Weller tripled and was brought home by Eli Kieser’s sacrifice fly. Greenville responded with three runs over two innings, including a two-run triple by Joseph Guzman. However, IWU tied it up in the third after Matt Hudik walked and John Phillip Ferraro drove him in.
Greenville had a strong fourth inning, scoring five runs off Pullam before Brennan Tomhave came on as relief for Illinois Wesleyan. In the seventh inning, IWU’s offense erupted for 11 runs—the most they’ve scored in an inning since April 8, 2017—helped by Flagg’s grand slam and Ferraro’s double.
Tomhave pitched effectively out of the bullpen, allowing just one earned run over nearly five innings. Marshall Ingold closed out the win for Illinois Wesleyan.
Flagg finished with his first multi-home run game and set a career high with five RBIs. Weller went three-for-three at bat and drove in two runs during his debut as a Titan.
In game two, Illinois Wesleyan maintained their offensive momentum but surrendered an eight-run ninth inning to lose 10-9 on Greenville’s walk-off finish. Hudik had four hits and four stolen bases—a personal best—while Weller added four more hits and three RBIs.
Illinois Wesleyan took an early lead through singles by Ferraro and Flagg followed by Weller’s RBI double. Additional small-ball tactics increased their advantage as Gage Wolfe bunted successfully before being driven home by Hudik.
Sophomore Cole Benson started on the mound for IWU and allowed just one run through five innings before being relieved by Will Davidsmeier later in the game. Despite holding a seven-run lead entering the final frame, Illinois Wesleyan could not contain Greenville’s rally.
The teams are scheduled to meet again Thursday for the series decider at Robert E. Smith Field.
The Illinois Wesleyan Titans Men’s Baseball program competes under NAIA rules within the Crossroads League and supports student-athletes balancing academic commitments alongside athletic competition while contributing to university athletics tradition (https://www.iwusports.com/sports/baseball).
