BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Carroll University baseball team swept Illinois Wesleyan University in a sunny, warm College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin doubleheader at Horenberger Field on Saturday afternoon, winning the thrilling opener 17-13 and the finale 7-2.
Carroll, which improved to 12-14 in conference and 18-16 overall, took 3 of 4 games to win the regular-season series.
The gritty, inspired effort took on added significance as it was the Pioneers' first series win over Illinois Wesleyan since rejoining the CCIW.
Carroll's resilient 11-run sixth-inning rally led to the dramatic come-from-behind victory in the opener, generating a single-game season-high run total for a CCIW matchup.
The Pioneers moved into sole possession of fourth place in the league standings with six games remaining in the regular season.
It was a record-breaking day for Curtis Sheahan, who established a program record for strikeouts in a single season with a standout effort in the second game of the twin bill.
Sheahan finished with nine strikeouts, surpassing the prior mark of 52 set by Carl Formento in 2016. The history-making 53rd came on his sixth strikeout of the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning.

GAME 1

Trevor Benz went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and a stolen base to power a 14-hit offensive attack for Carroll in the opener. Dylan Callahan finished with three hits and Benton Holly followed with two hits for the Pioneers.
Carroll scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning on a one-out sacrifice fly out by Holly.
IWU scored a single run in the second, four in the third, a single run in the fourth and six in the fifth to take a commanding 12-1 lead, seemingly putting the game out of reach.
Carroll showcased its determination by responding with 11 runs on five hits in the momentum-shifting, game-changing sixth.
The rally began as Alec Honickel scored on a bases-loaded walk and Benz later scored on a wild pitch. Brad Vosters and Casey Mir each then scored as the result of a fielding error to trim the deficit to 12-5. 
Pfaffle later scored on a bases-loaded walk, Justin Baker delivered a clutch two-run single to right field, Benz contributed an RBI single to left field and Casey Mir belted a game-tying three-run home run to left field.
The Pioneers claimed a 13-12 lead in the seventh on a one-out RBI single by Holly.
Carroll added four runs in the eighth to help ensure a victory as Benz scored on a throwing error, Pfaffle responded with an RBI sacrifice fly out and Dylan Callahan blasted a two-run home run to put an exclamation point on the victory.
Michael Costanzo was the winning pitcher, working a scoreless sixth and seventh inning, facing six hitters while answering the pressure-packed challenge with two strikeouts and four ground outs.
The Pioneers utilized six pitchers in explosive effort, including starter Brett Buzzelli, Bryce Spaulding, Tyler Love, Costanzo, Dawson Kiphart and Jake Nitch.
Will Kafer went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs for IWU, which stranded seven baserunners.

GAME 2

Sheahan was the winning pitcher, scattering six hits with nine strikeouts and one walk through seven complete innings to lead the Pioneers in the finale.
Sheahan, a senior left-hander who improved to 4-2 overall, had a three-hit shutout working before yielding three hits in the seventh.
Josh Streu pitched a scoreless eighth and Josh Nitch worked an unblemished ninth, forcing three fly outs to help preserve a victory.
Carroll collected three runs in what became a decisive top of the third as Danny Glampe scored from third on a wild pitch, TJ Pfaffle delivered an RBI sacrifice fly out to right field and Callahan followed with a game-winning one-out run-scoring single to right field.
The Pioneers extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth on a one-out RBI triple to right-center field by Josh Kolb and a run-scoring sacrifice fly out to left field by Vosters.
Carroll added a run in the fifth on an RBI double to left field by Mir.
IWU scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh as the result of a throwing error and a passed ball to trim the deficit to 6-2.
The Pioneers' final run came as Vosters scored as the result of a throwing error in the ninth.
Pfaffle went 2-for-3 to power a nine-hit attack for Carroll, which finished with three extra-base hits (two doubles and a triple) and overcame five errors. 
Callahan also contributed two hits with Glampe, Kolb, Mir, Mitchell Massino and Holly each adding one.
Cole Greer went 2-for-3 for IWU, which dropped to 11-13 in conference and 16-16 overall.
Stay up to date on Carroll baseball by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics)