The Carthage College baseball team (21-7, 10-5 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) won its fourth CCIW-series out of five played on Sunday, April 19 with a 3-0 decision over Millikin University (14-16, 5-10 CCIW) at Augie Schmidt Field in Kenosha, Wis. The two teams split a Saturday, April 18 doubleheader, with the Big Blue winning the first game, 4-3, and the Red Men taking the nightcap by a 10-0 margin.
Sunday's game was pitching duel. Carthage starting pitcher Jared Helmich (Jr., Lake Villa, Ill./Fox Lake-Grant Community) and Millikin hurler Max Paolicchi dueled away for six innings, with Helmich allowing just two singles and Paolicchi three singles. Helmich, also serving as the designated hitter, extended his school-record hitting streak to 28 games with a line-drive single to left field in the sixth inning.
The Red Men broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the seventh inning. With two outs and the bases load, Graham Wick delivered a two-run single to centerfield. Carthage added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI-single by Matt Rave for the final, 3-0 margin.
Helmich (4-1) twirled a five-hit shutout with just two walks and four strikeouts over nine innings, while going two-for-four at the plate. Paolicchi (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits and five walks over six and two-thirds innings.
"We're riding Jared Helmich right now," admitted Carthage coach Augie Schmidt IV. "He got two more hits today and threw a nine-inning complete game. He really pitched well, and we needed that, because the Millikin guy pitched well, too. Graham Wick got the big hit, we won another series, and that's what it's all about. It's hard to sweep teams in this league. The conference race is crazy, and two of the top-three teams play each other this weekend when we go to Illinois Wesleyan. We control our own destiny, but so does Illinois Wesleyan and North Central. The conference title is up for grabs, and whoever gets hot the last two weeks can win it, but that might take a sweep on somebody's part."
Carthage plays host to non-conference opponent Benedictine University (Ill.) on Tuesday, April 21 in a 5 p.m. contest, also at Augie Schmidt Field.