Carol Stream, Ill. - The Wheaton Thunder baseball team won the final game of a three-game weekend homestand against Millikin on Saturday at Lee Pfund Stadium. Wheaton defeated the Big Blue 3-0 in the series finale. Wheaton extends its record to18-12 on the year and 8-7 in the CCIW. Millikin drops to 5-23 overall and 1-14 in conference play.
Wheaton earned the win scoring three runs, on eight hits and no errors while Millikin posted no runs, on two hits and one error. Thunder starting pitcher Trey Martin (4-2) started and earned the win on the mound for the Thunder in a complete game shutout. Martin struck what is believed to be a school record fifteen batters and walked just one. The fifth-year senior held the Big Blue to just two hits with zero runs in nine innings of work.
Martin has recorded nine-inning shutouts in his last three starts, and over his last 27 innings (three starts) he has allowed just nine total hits. The Thunder senior has tossed 29 consecutive scoreless innings, which is the seventh-longest streak in NCAA Division III history. Martin's string of 29 consecutive scoreless innings is the longest streak in Division III since Josh White of St. Lawrence University put together a streak of 38 consecutive scoreless innings in 2006.
Wheaton took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when second basemen Matt Krause singled in right fielder Johnny Peltz. Martin knocked in the second run of the inning on a RBI groundout to third base that scored center fielder Josh Kimmel.
Wheaton scored again in the seventh after Krause singled to left field. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI-single through the middle of the infield by Martin.
Josh Kimmel and Matt Krause each collected two hits on the day, while Martin, Michael Szalach, Taylor Howe, and Johnny Peltz each had one hit for the Thunder. Millikin's lone hits were tallied by Cody Blunk and Brian Ekiss.
Starting Big Blue pitcher Max Paolicchi (1-5) allowed two runs and eight hits while striking out two and walking two to take the loss for Millikin. Ben Peters finished the game for Millikin by throwing the final three innings.
Wheaton will travel to Northwestern University Tuesday, for a 3 p.m contest in Evanston, Ill.