LISLE, Ill. - The Elmhurst University baseball team fell to Benedictine (IL) by a final score of 9–2 on Tuesday evening at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.

The Bluejays grabbed an early lead in the top of the first, but the Eagles responded swiftly and never looked back, riding strong pitching and a power surge to their 20th win of the season. Benedictine tallied 14 hits, including three home runs—two off the bat of George Betevis—to pull away. CJ Jensik earned the win for the Eagles, tossing six dominant innings and allowing just one unearned run with 10 strikeouts. Elmhurst drops to 9–24 overall, while Benedictine improves to 20–13.

Rock Smith recorded an RBI single in the first inning, finishing 1-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Evan Johnson doubled and scored one of Elmhurst's two runs, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Brett Vercruysse also scored a run and reached base after being hit by a pitch. Despite the offensive struggles, Elmhurst drew five walks and was hit by three pitches. On the mound, Davis Maifield took the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits over 5.1 innings. The bullpen struggled, with Jonathan Boyles surrendering four runs in a brief relief appearance.

Elmhurst opened the scoring in the top of the first when Brett Vercruysse came home on Rock Smith's RBI single through the left side, taking advantage of an error to go up 1–0. Benedictine quickly countered in the bottom half. Brennan Fisher singled and later scored on a base hit by Nic Castrovillari. Kyle Campbell followed with a single, and Mike Budorick drove in a run to give the Eagles a 2–1 lead. A sacrifice fly from Tommy Jusi Jr brought in Castrovillari to cap a three-run frame.

From there, the pitchers took control. Neither team scored again until the sixth inning, when George Betevis launched a two-run home run down the left field line, extending Benedictine's lead to 5–1. The Eagles added four more in the seventh. Kevin Butler delivered a two-run homer to right, and moments later, Betevis struck again—this time with a two-run shot to left center to push the score to 9–1.

Elmhurst managed a second run in the eighth, thanks to a defensive miscue. Evan Johnson reached base and later came around to score on a throwing error by Benedictine's third baseman. However, the Bluejays were unable to mount a rally and were held scoreless in the ninth by Benedictine reliever Steven Byrne.

Benedictine's trio of Jensik, Anthony Sexton, and Byrne combined to limit Elmhurst to three hits while striking out ten. The Eagles turned two double plays and executed solid defense behind a powerful offensive showing to seal the 9–2 victory.

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