ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst University baseball team used hot bats and strong pitching out of the bullpen to secure a 10-3 non-conference victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College Wednesday evening at Butterfield Park.
Elmhurst (14-16, 5-8 CCIW) started the game fast, scoring four runs in the first inning before Wisconsin Lutheran (3-25) fought back with a trio in the third. The Bluejays added two more in the seventh, and another four in the eighth to shutdown the Warriors and earn a non-conference victory.
Eric Zbinden started the game on the mound for the Bluejays, giving up three runs in 4.2 innings before being pulled in the fifth.
Joseph Ingratta entered the game in relief, and proceeded to dominate the Warrior batters by giving up just one hit and two walks, adding four strikeouts to earn the victory and improve to 1-0 on the season.
Ten different Bluejays knocked in all ten runs in the contest. The No. 1-8 hitters all earned an RBI in the game (
Zach Kolb,
Troy Taller,
Freddie March,
Ryan Thrawl,
Drew Raspolich,
Jesse James,
Michael Campanaro,
Brett Bishop) while
Davis Maifield and
Zachary Hafner knocked in a run coming off the bench.
Taller got the scoring started in the first inning, knocking in Kolb on an RBI double, and the Bluejays loaded the bases for James. A walk earned another run, while a throwing error plated another, wrapping the inning up with a sacrifice fly from Bishop.
The Warriors fought back in the third, scoring three runs with two outs before Ingratta entered and shut down the last batter of the inning, preventing the visitors from tying the game. After both teams saw runs fizzle out, the Bluejays added another pair of runs on a bases-loaded walk from Thrawl and a hit by pitch from Raspolich.
A huge Bluejay rally highlighted the eighth inning, starting with a pair of Warrior errors that allowed
Jack McGinnis to score all the way from first base and allowing Kolb to advance to third, where he was knocked in by March. Maifield then stepped to the plate in a pinch-hitting opportunity, knocking in a run with the bases-loaded after his single was hit into the umpire in front of the fielders. Hafner earned the final RBI for the Bluejays with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Thrawl.
UP NEXT
The Bluejays are set to host a three-game series against North Park University this weekend, beginning on Friday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. at Butterfield Park.
FOLLOW THE BLUEJAYS
Be sure to keep up with all Elmhurst University Athletics content by following the Bluejays on Twitter (@elmhurstbluejay), Facebook (Elmhurst University Athletics) and Instagram (@elmhurstbluejays), and tune in to elmhurstbluejays.com for the latest news and information.
