By Steve Marovich, Athletics Staff Writer/2022 Baseball Contact

The Carthage College baseball team (7-19, 2-7 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) opened a three-game series with CCIW-opponent Wheaton College (Ill., 9-15, 5-4) by splitting a Friday, April 15 doubleheader at Augie Schmidt Field in Kenosha, Wis.  Carthage lost the first game, 16-15, but hung on to take the nightcap, 5-3.

In the first game, Carthage tagged Wheaton starting pitcher Alex Vlaisavich for five runs in the opening inning.  Colton Klein hit an RBI-single, followed by a Bryce Prybylinski RBI-double, a run-scoring grounder by P.T. Boeye, a wild pitch and a solo home run by P.J. Moser.  The Thunder got three runs back in the second inning off Firebirds starter Dante Guarascio to cut the lead to 5-3.  Carthage went up, 6-3, in the second, scoring a run on a double play.

Wheaton came up with a six-run third inning to take a 9-6 lead and end the day for pitcher Guarascio.  A two-run single by Collin Callahan in the bottom of the third cut the Wheaton lead to 9-8.  The Thunder scored four in the fourth, two on a two-run homer by Mason Diel, to up the Wheaton lead to 13-8.  Carthage scored two in the bottom of the fourth to make it 13-10.  The Thunder added two runs in the fifth to up their lead to 15-10 before Jax Calvery's solo homer in the fifth cut the lead to 15-11.  The Firebirds scored twice in the sixth, one of those on a solo homer by Colton Klein, to make it 15-13.  Klein's RBI-double in the seventh narrowed the gap to a single run, 15-14, but the Thunder scored an insurance run in the eighth to make it 16-14.

There was some Carthage drama in the bottom of the ninth.  With two outs, Austin Prybylinski hit an RBI-single to shave the margin to 16-15.  Colton Klein singled to right, a ball that right fielder Zach Ledbetter misplayed, allowing runners to advance to second and third.  Bryce Prybylinski was walked intentionally to load the bases.  Iyan Pelfree, pinch-hitting for P.T. Boeye, ran the count full before striking out swinging to end the three-hour and 23-minute game with a Thunder victory, 16-15.

Jared Kloth (1-0), the second-of-three Wheaton pitchers, was credited with win, despite giving up five runs, three earned, on eight hits over the middle three innings.  David Solfelt worked the final three frames to earn his first save.  Dante Guarascio (2-4) took the loss for the Firebirds and surrendered the first seven runs on six hits and four walks over two innings.  Jake Hartman Jr. entered the game in the third, Thomas Coffey in the fifth and Brandon Marquardt in the sixth.  Marquardt, making his first appearance of the season, did a fine job, limiting the Thunder to a single run on three hits and two walks over the final four innings.

Carthage collected 22 hits and scored in every inning but the eighth.  Colton Klein led the way by going four-for-five with two runs scored, a double, a home run and four RBI.  Cody Tostrud had four hits in six trips with a pair of runs scored, and Austin Prybylinski went three-for-six with two runs scored.

In the nightcap, Carthage broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when P.J. Moser singled in a run.  Wheaton took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on a two-run homer by Jacob Snyder.  A sacrifice fly by Colton Klein in the bottom of the fifth tied the game, 2-2.  The Firebirds took a 4-2 lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Collin Callahan and an RBI-single by Cody Tostrud.  Tostrud then drove in an insurance run with a single in the eighth and a 5-2 Carthage lead.

There was more ninth-inning drama in the second game.  Carthage relief pitcher Matt Willett hit the first two batters and walked the third to load the bases.  Nathan Schnabel came on to pitch, but Kyle Wu hit a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 5-3.  Schnabel then got both Snyder and Tyler Weiner on swinging strikes to end the game.

Starting pitcher Bryce Schaum (2-2) pitched a gutty game, working out of bases-loaded jams in the first and the second frames and avoiding trouble with two runners on in the seventh.  Schaum allowed just two runs on eight hits, six walks and five strikeouts.  Schnabel got the final three outs to earn his first save.  Joe Klein (2-2), the Thunder starting pitcher took the loss.  Carthage collected 12 hits, with Cody Tostrud going four-for-five with two RBI.  For the day, Tostrud went eight-for-11.

"We got 21 hits and 15 runs in the first game," said a disappointed coach Augie Schmidt IV, "and it wasn't good enough.  I wish I could say Wheaton pounded the ball, but it was the same old story of walks and hit batters.  That's been our thing as a pitching staff this year, and it has to stop.  Bryce Schaum in the second game, for a freshman, he's showing unreal poise.  He's our pitching leader right now.  He worked out of two bases-loaded situations, got out of it and extended the game for us.  He did a great job, and so did Nathan Schnabel at the end.  Schnabel does it more on heart then talent, but he gets it done."

Carthage and Wheaton conclude the series on Saturday, April 16 with a 1 p.m. single game at Lee Pfund Stadium Field in Carol Stream, Ill.