(BLOOMINGTON, Ill.) - The 24th-ranked and third-seeded Thomas More College baseball team fell, 3-2, to the defending national champions and the fourth-seeded Illinois Wesleyan University tonight (Wednesday, May 18, 2011) on the first day of the NCAA Division III Central Regional at Jack Horenberger Field in Bloomington, Illinois.

With the loss, the Saints fall to 28-8 and will play Ripon College tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. Eastern/3:30 p.m. Central.  With the win, the Titans improve to 27-16 and will play Buena Vista Universtiy at 8:30 p.m. Eastern/7:30 p.m. Central.

Illinois Wesleyan took a 2-0 in the top of the sixth, but the Saints tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when they plated two runs.  The Titans then plated the eventual game-winning run in the top of the ninth on an error.

The Saints were led at the plate by freshman second baseman Jason Handley (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills), who was two-for-four with a double, a run batted-in and a run scored.  Three other Saints had multiple hits in the game as sophomore right fielder Ryan Darner (Burlington, Ky./Covington Catholic) was two-for-four with a RBI, senior left fielder Max Robbins (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) was two-for-three and junior catcher Andrew Clements (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) was two-for-four.

On the mound, junior Aaron Carmack (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) started and got a no-decision as he pitched seven innings and gave up two runs on five hits and struck out two.  Sophomore David Etscheid (Union, Ky./Ryle) suffered the loss as he pitched two innings of relief and gave up one runs (unearned) on no hits.