DECATUR, Ill. – Brandon Kressner hit a grand slam as the Elmhurst baseball team rebounded from a 2-1 game-one loss with an 11-8 game two victory over Millikin.

After being held to just one run and six hits in game one, the Bluejays (14-9, 4-3 CCIW) put up 11 runs and 11 hits in the first three innings in their game-two victory over the Big Blue (12-9, 1-6 CCIW).

Game One: Millikin 2, Elmhurst 1
Despite a solid start from Ben Havel, the Bluejays fell in game one of the doubleheader 2-1.

Havel tossed all eight innings for Elmhurst, allowing just two runs (one earned) on seven hits, while striking out 10 and walking two. He also scored the only run for the Bluejays.

After three scoreless frames, the Big Blue rallied for a pair in the bottom of the fourth. Julian Gutierrez led off the inning with a double down the right-field line and Andrew Huss followed with a walk to put two aboard with nobody out. Keith Askins moved both runners into scoring position with a deep fly ball and Gutierrez broke the scoring by crossing the plate on a wild pitch. With two outs in the inning, Huss plated another run when he scored on a Bluejay throwing error.

The Big Blue led 2-0 until the eighth when Elmhurst threatened. Havel singled and then stole second to put himself in scoring position. Austin MacMillan then drilled an RBI single to left field to pull Elmhurst within one, but that was all the offense that the Bluejays could muster in the game.

Havel and Matt Wilson both recorded two hits for Elmhurst. MacMillan's single registered the only RBI in the contest.

Havel was outdueled by four Millikin pitchers who combined to allow just six hits, while striking out 10. Phillip Ganley earned the win in five scoreless innings. Brandon Vikes allowed the only run on two hits, while striking out four in 2.2 innings. Zak Owens settled things down in the eighth with a strikeout before Ben Peters notched his sixth save of the season with a perfect ninth.

Game Two: Elmhurst 11, Millikin 8
A grand slam from Brandon Kressner and a three-run home run from A.J. Compton sparked the Elmhurst offense in an 11-8 victory.

Elmhurst needed only minutes to top its offensive output from game one. A.J. Compton, the fourth batter of the game, got the Bluejays off to a hot start by belting a three-run home run. Later in the inning, Matt Conroy's double scored two and gave Elmhurst a 5-0 lead.

The Bluejays continued to pile on runs in the second and the third, stretching out an 11-0 lead when Kressner connected on his grand slam.

Trailing by double-digits, Millikin slowly chipped away at the deficit to make the game interesting. Right after Kressner's grand slam, the Big Blue tallied three runs in the bottom of the third. Millikin then added one in the sixth. Elmhurst starter Austin MacMillan finished six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out seven.

With reliever Ryan Millan in the game in the seventh, a grand slam from Jon Walters brought the Big Blue within three at 11-8. Nick Drago came in and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, but allowed two base runners in the ninth. With Walters, the tying run, at the plate, Ben Modesitt earned his fifth save by striking out Walters to end the game.

Havel had three hits and A.J. Compton recorded two, while scoring two runs and knocking in three. Kressner's grand slam ended up being the difference in the game.

Elmhurst and Millikin will play the rubber game of their three-game set tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in Decatur.