ELMHURST, Ill. - The Bluejays secured the series win in a conference double header against Wheaton with 17 runs, while pitchers Logan Leach, Adan Nieves, and Marty Fraga control the mound.
Game 1
Elmhurst 12, Wheaton 8
W: Logan Leach (1-3) L: Josh Ortiz S: Marty Fraga (3)
After a scoreless first inning for both dugouts, the Bluejays responded with a breakthrough inning in the bottom of the second securing five runs to even the score 5-5.
Zach Konrad and Rock Smith each lined singles to start the rally before Timothy O'Connell drove in a run with a single through the left side. Marty Fraga followed with an RBI single, and Adan Nieves added another RBI to tie the game. Evan Johnson reached base off a hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Elmhurst the lead, before Brett Vercruysse added a sacrifice fly to cap the five-run inning.
The Bluejays trailed after Wheaton's fourth-inning surge, only to answer in the fifth. Fraga reached on an error that brought home a run, followed by Nieves' RBI single. Vercruysse grounded out to bring in one more, and a wild pitch allowed Nieves to score, giving Elmhurst a 9-8 lead.
The Bluejays added insurance in the sixth inning. Nieves delivered an RBI single to score O'Connell, followed by an RBI groundout from Johnson allowing Landon Truong to meet home. Vercruysse then added another RBI single to extend the lead to 12-8.
On the mound, Logan Leach earned the win with 2.0 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out one. Landon Banaszynski followed with 2.0 scoreless innings, striking out three, and Marty Fraga closed the door with a scoreless ninth to earn the save.
Offensively, Nieves led the Bluejays with four hits and three RBI, while O'Connell added three hits, scoring three runs. Fraga drove in three runs scored and two RBI in their first win of the day
Game 2
Elmhurst 5, Wheaton 2
W: Adan Nieves (1-3) L: Billy Kessler S: Marty Fraga (4)
After a scoreless opening frame, the Bluejays came back in the second inning, with a run to take an early lead. Wheaton answered with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 2-1 advantage heading into the late innings.
Elmhurst responded in the seventh to even the score at 2-2 before delivering the game's settling moment in the bottom of the eighth. Adan Nieves reached on an error to begin the inning, followed by a walk from Marty Fraga. Brett Vercruysse secured first, hit by a pitch to load the bases. After back-to-back strikeouts, Timothy O'Connell delivered, to right center to drive in two runs as both Fraga and Nieves scored. Vercruysse later scored stealing home, capping the game off 5-2.
On the mound, Jack Krueger started and went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out five. Adan Nieves earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with one hit allowed and one strikeout. Marty Fraga closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning to secure the save.
Elmhurst improves its conference performance with three wins over the series. The Bluejays will be back in action on the road against Illinois Wesleyan April 15, at 6:00 p.m.
