McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team faced setbacks in a doubleheader against Washington University in St. Louis on March 1 at Kelly Field. The Titans were defeated in both games, with scores of 3-2 and 8-3, respectively. These losses bring the Titans' record to 2-3, while WashU maintains an unbeaten streak at 5-0.

In the first game, Illinois Wesleyan took an early lead when sophomore John Philip Ferraro hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. WashU equalized in the fifth inning. The Titans regained their lead in the seventh after senior Tyler Woltman advanced to third base and scored due to a fielding error by WashU. However, WashU clinched victory by scoring two runs in the ninth inning, ending the game at 3-2.

The second game saw WashU dominate from the fourth inning onwards, scoring six runs on five hits. The Bears further extended their lead before Illinois Wesleyan attempted a comeback in the seventh inning. Senior Jimmy Gurgone got on base and was brought home by Woltman's sacrifice fly. Freshman Ben Ford and senior Tristan Figus helped load the bases, allowing junior Gage Wolfe to drive in two more runs with a single. Despite these efforts, WashU added another run in the eighth inning to secure an 8-3 win.

The Titans managed six hits compared to WashU's thirteen across fewer at-bats (36-32). Illinois Wesleyan will face Washington University once more on March 2 at Kelly Field to conclude their series.