WHEATON, Ill. - The Benedictine University baseball team dropped another tight contest, falling 10-9 to Wheaton College in non-conference action on Wednesday night.
Benedictine did not trail until the final play of the contest when Wheaton posted the walk-off decision. The Eagles grabbed the lead just three batters into the game.
Justin Kovalsky notched an RBI single to bring home
Matthew Higgs, who walked and stole second to open the game. A wild pitch enabled
Max Oppenheimer, who walked, to cross the plate. The lead extended to 4-0 with single runs in the third and fourth.
Nick Fillmore picked up an RBI single in the third and Kovalsky an RBI triple in the fourth.
Wheaton scored twice in the fourth, ending the day for starter
Jake Trumpis. Trumpis surrendered just two runs in four innings. Two more runs scored for Benedictine in the fifth, making the score 6-2.
Tim Hendricks picked up an RBI single while Higgs singled home a run as well.
Joe Palasiewicz kept Wheaton at bay out of the bullpen, working perfect frames in the fifth and sixth before two runs scored in the seventh, setting the stage for a frantic finish.
Pinch-hitter
Mike Ostrowski singled home a run in the eighth with Kovalsky adding an RBI groundout, keeping Benedictine ahead 8-4. Wheaton evened the game with a four-spot in the bottom of the eighth. Benedictine was able to re-take the lead when
Erik Callaghan drew a bases loaded walk in the ninth, but the Thunder scored twice in the bottom of the inning including a walk-off single with two outs to steal the win.
Benedictine left 12 on base in the game and finished with 13 hits. Kovalsky picked up three, including a pair of triples. The backstop drove home three and scored a run. Fillmore logged two hits. The Eagles saw 10 individuals post hits in the game.
Timothy Feeley took the loss on the mound, striking out three in an inning of work.
Benedictine (3-8) welcomes UW-Platteville for a Saturday non-conference doubleheader in the home opener at 1:00 p.m. The Eagles own five one-run losses this season and have seen nine games decided by two runs or less.
