BOXSCORE

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – The Benedictine University baseball team wrapped up another busy week by falling 10-9 to Wheaton College in a non-conference game at Alexian Field, home of the Northern League's Schaumburg Flyers. The Eagles scored five runs in the ninth inning and left the tying run standing at third as a late surge fell just short.

Wheaton opened the scoring with five unearned runs in the third. All of the runs scored following a two-out error. The big blow in the frame was a three-run homer to right by Danny Pyne off of Benedictine starter Kyle Kukulski. The Thunder added two more runs in the fourth to go up 7-0.

Kukulski threw four innings and took the loss despite allowing just one earned run. He did not walk a batter and struck out five while surrendering seven hits.

Benedictine scraped across a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Tom Gindville ignited the rally with a one-out single. Mitch McMeen doubled to place runners at second and third. Tom Higgins drove home the first run with a groundout. Mike Loni plated the second run with a two-out single to center.

Josh Williams hit the second Thunder homer of the game in the sixth inning, going deep to center off of reliever David Flott for a two-run shot. Wheaton also added another run to go up 10-2.

With the bases loaded in the seventh inning after a Gindville single and walks to McMeen and Higgins, Nick Karakosta came through with two outs. Karakosta singled to center to drive in a pair and pull the Eagles within 10-4. 

Karakosta drove in his third run of the game in the ninth inning, helping to jump start a five run inning. After Higgins led off with a double to right, Karakosta doubled to the wall in left to drive him home. Benedictine brought the tying run to the plate in the inning by loading the bases. Steve Noble was forced to enter the game with the bases loaded and Gindville greeted him with a two-run single flared to left. McMeen followed with a run scoring single to bring the Eagles within 10-9. 

Benedictine finished with 13 hits in the game. Gindville, starting as the DH, went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Nick Karakosta, Josh Zenawick, and Mitch McMeen all posted a pair of hits in the game.

Wheaton swept all three games of the season series with Benedictine.

Benedictine (5-9) will open play in the Northern Athletics Conference at home on Monday afternoon. Maranatha Baptist visits for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.