ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst baseball team dropped a 16-10 slugfest to the University of Chicago at Butterfield Park.
 
Elmhurst slipped to 10-21 on the season with the loss while Chicago improved to 10-15 with the victory.
 
Chicago built an early 2-1 lead entering the bottom of the third, but the Bluejays scored runs on a Ben Havel grounder and a Zach Tsiodras RBI single to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Elmhurst's lead was short lived as the Maroons scored runs on a Ryan Krob single and a Kyle Engel sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. Chicago tacked on a run in the fifth to open up a 5-3 cushion. The Bluejays pulled to within a run on Regan McReynolds sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth, but Chicago answered back with two runs in the top of the sixth to open up a three-run cushion at 7-4.
 
Elmhurst closed to within a run in the bottom of the seventh. McReynolds singled home a run with one out to bring the Bluejays to within two. Mike Rostine followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to just one run, but the Bluejays stranded the tying run in scoring position.
 
Chicago broke things open in the bottom of the eighth as the Maroons batted around, sending 12 players to the plate and scoring nine runs.  Max Larsen and Engel delivered key blows in the inning. Larsen roped a two-run double down the left field line and Engel capped the inning with a three-run homer to center field to put Chicago in front 16-6.
 
An RBI double from Greg Struck and run-scoring ground out from McReynolds gave Elmhurst two runs in the bottom of the eight. The Bluejays added runs in the ninth on a Brandon Kressner RBI single and a Ben Havel run-scoring double to make the final score 16-10.
 
Chicago banged out 19 hits while Elmhurst finished with 14 hits in the loss.
 
Havel, McReynolds and Rostine all drove in two runs apiece to pace the Bluejays at the plate. Brett Bayer added a pair of hits and scored a run while Kressner scored twice for the Bluejays.
 
Engel powered Chicago at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with three runs scored and five driven in. Nicholas Toomey added three hits and scored three runs for the Maroons.
 
Justin Luzzi made the start and took the loss for Elmhurst, surrendering eight hits and four runs over three innings. He walked three and fanned three in the loss. Andrew VanWazer picked up the win for Chicago, tossing a complete game despite allowing 14 hits and 10 runs (six earned). VanWazer walked three and struck out six to earn the victory.
 
Elmhurst travels to Rockford College on Wednesday, April 22.