ELMHURST, Ill. – Carroll University (12-10, 2-8 CCIW) swept a double-header Tuesday evening at Elmhurst College (14-10, 5-6 CCIW) by the final scores of 7-5 and 8-7.
The Pioneers would take the initial lead in the top of the second inning. AJ Johnson would lead-off the inning with a single and advance to third on a Dylan Callahan double to the right-center gap. Ethan Burns would then fly out to right to bring home Johnson on a sac fly for the 1-0 lead. Zach Meyer would then follow with a two-out single to score Callahan and bump the lead to 2-0.
A lead-off double for Elmhurst would eventually lead to the first run of the game for the Bluejays as they would trim the Pio lead to 2-1 after two innings.
Carroll would respond in the top of the third as Matt Putman would start the inning singling through the left side and Jake Langford would drop down a perfect drag bunt for a single. Langford would steal third and score on a Callahan ground ball that would advance Putman to third. Putman would then advance home on a Hunter Frey sacrifice fly to push the Pio lead to 4-1.
Alex Kermendy would lead off the top of the sixth with a double to left-center and score on a Langford double down the right field line. Following a wild pitch, Langford would tag up and score on a Callahan sac fly to extend the Pioneer lead to 6-1 after six.
Burns would start the seventh on a double to left-center and with two outs steal third base and advance home on a high throw from the catcher to make the score 7-1 going into the bottom of the seventh.
Elmhurst would final get to Pioneer starting pitcher Carter Howard in the bottom of the seventh. The Bluejays would climb back into the game with four runs on five hits in the inning to cut the lead to 7-5 heading to the eighth.
Sophomore Max Maney would extinguish the fire as he worked a clean eighth and ninth innings to lock down the win and earn his first save of the year on the mound for the Pios.
Howard (3-2) was solid on the mound in the start, working six innings surrendering just three runs while striking out seven without issuing a walk to earn the victory.
Game two would see Carroll jump out in front again. The Pios would plate four runs in the top of the second and another run in the third to take the early 5-0 lead.
However, Elmhurst would answer in a big way in the bottom of the third inning. The Bluejays would send 12 batters to the plate in the inning as they took the lead 6-5.
Carroll would pull even in the top of the fifth inning. AJ Johnson would start the inning drawing a walk, Callahan would follow with a single. Johnson would then score on a Burns single to knot the game at six.
The eighth inning for the Pios looked as if it would be a quiet inning as the first two batters were retired quickly. However, Kermendy would double with two-outs to start the rally. Putman would follow, reaching on a hit batter and Langford would also wear a pitch to load the bases. Johnson would send a clutch single up the middle with two strikes to bring home Kermendy and Putman to give Carroll the 8-6 lead.
Elmhurst would single to start the eighth inning off of starter Logan Johnson before he was lifted for a reliever, Mark Carew. Carew would surrender a ground ball single to start his appearance but would get the first out of the inning on a sac bunt. A fly ball would score the runner from third to cut the lead to 8-7, but Carew would induce an inning ending fly ball to center field to preserve the lead going into the ninth.
Freshman Curtis Sheahan would enter in the ninth on the mound for the Pioneers and calmly work a perfect 1-2-3 inning to earn his second collegiate save and lock down the double-header sweep for the Pios.
Carroll will have a quick turn-around as they travel to Ripon College on Wednesday to face their former Midwest Conference rival, game time is scheduled for 4pm.
