ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst University baseball team dropped their CCIW-opening doubleheader to Carroll Saturday afternoon at Plunkett Park.

Elmhurst (8-9, 0-2 CCIW) kept the games close in each of the first five innings of both matchups, but late-inning scoring from the Pioneers (9-7, 2-0 CCIW) proved to be the difference in each matchup.

Game one featured a high-scoring affair, with the two teams combining for 20 runs in the opening contest of the day. Carroll jumped ahead 2-0 early, but the Bluejays came back to knot the game at two after three innings. Three runs in the fifth inning and another six runs in the sixth inning opened a 11-3 lead for the Pioneers, a lead they never gave up despite five runs in the eighth and ninth innings combined for the Bluejays in an 8-12 loss.

Cole Bozzi started the opener for the Bluejays, pitching five strong innings before struggling in the sixth, giving up seven runs (six earned runs) total to drop him to 2-3 on the season. Drew Raspolich led the Bluejays at the plate, providing two RBI in a 2-for-5 effort. Trey Romay knocked a pair of doubles in game one, while Troy Taller knocked his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot over the right-center field fence in the ninth inning.

Game two was a pitchers duel early, with each starter trading blows to their opponents lineup before the Pioneers pulled away with four runs in the sixth inning to pull out a 1-7 victory for the visitors.

Starting pitcher J.D. Knight went five strong innings, giving up just two runs and four hits while tossing one strikeout. After being relieved in the sixth inning by Zach Keplar, the junior left-hander took the loss thanks to four unearned runs scoring in the sixth inning, dropping to 1-1 on the season. Taller and Romay led the Bluejays at the plate in game two, with each player going 2-for-4 in the contest, while Freddie March provided the line RBI for the Bluejays.

UP NEXT

Elmhurst will take on Augustana College (IL) tomorrow afternoon to wrap up their opening weekend in conference play. The game is scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. CT, and wil be played at either Butterfield Park in Elmhurst or Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream, Ill. depending on field conditions at the home of Bluejay baseball. 

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