Carol Stream, Ill. - Under a driving rain that plagued the final two innings, the Thunder baseball team came from behind to claim a 3-2 victory over Augustana in the first game of a crucial CCIW series. Tied for the fourth and final spot in the upcoming CCIW Tournament entering the weekend, Wheaton improves to 15-18 overall and 9-7 in conference play. Augustana falls to 23-11 overall and 8-8 in CCIW action. The Thunder and Vikings are scheduled to conclude their three-game set on Saturday with a 1 PM doubleheader in Moline, Illinois.

Wheaton scored its three runs on just four hits and made one error. Augustana scored two runs on eight hits with three errors. Peter Moran earned a tough-luck no decision after going 7.1 innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts. John Schmitz earned the win for Wheaton after throwing 1.2 innings of shutout relief and allowing one hit, two walks and striking out two. Cooper SantAmour took the loss for the Vikings with one unearned run in 2.1 innings of relief.

After stranding a pair of runners without scoring in the top of the first inning, Augustana scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning. Moran stranded a pair of runners in the top of the sixth inning when Kyle Mellinger made a sliding play to his right and won a foot race to the bag at first to end the inning.

Limited to just one hit over the first five innings, Mellinger started a sixth inning rally with a one-out walk. Johnny Peltz followed with a single to left and a double steal moved both runners into scoring position. Matt Krause tied the game with a groundout to short to plate the inning and Andrew Laucella (PICTURED RIGHT) put the Thunder ahead with an RBI single through the left side to give Wheaton a 2-1 lead.

Augustana manufactured a run in the top of the eighth to chase Moran and tie the game at two. The Vikings threatened to take the lead in the top of the ninth by pushing runners to second and third with only one out but John Schmitz induced a strikeout and a ground ball to end the inning.

Tyler Sigler led off the bottom of the ninth inning by battling to earn a walk. John McKenna followed by earning a 10-pitch walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Two pitches later, Sigler broke for third and slid safely into the bag as the throw from the Viking catcher sailed high and into left field allowing Sigler to trot home with the game-winning run.