ELMHURST, Ill. - The Carroll University baseball team swept Elmhurst University in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin doubleheader at Plunkett Park on Saturday afternoon, winning the opener 12-8 and the finale 7-1.
It was the first conference competition of the season for Carroll, which improved to 2-0 in the highly competitive league standings and 9-7 overall.
The Pioneers earned their second consecutive sweep of the week and extended their winning streak to five games.
Carroll amassed 24 hits and turned in a strong defensive effort by committing only one error in the twin bill.
Thomas Ward, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound junior first baseman from Waukesha, Wis., went a combined 5-for-10 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs to lead the Pioneers.

GAME 1
Ward, who was hitting in the No. 3  spot of the batting order, went 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored to help power a statement-making 16-hit offensive attack in the opener.
Casey Mir and Cole Haugh each followed with three hits and two stolen bases for the Pioneers, who finished with four extra-base hits (including three doubles) and showcased their aggressiveness on the basepaths with seven stolen bases in the contest.
Carroll collected the first two runs of the showdown in the top of the first inning as Mir scored on an error and Haugh delivered an RBI single to center field
Elmhurst scored single runs in the bottom of the second and third to tie the game 2-2.
Carroll regained the lead by scoring three runs on three hits in the fifth, ignited on an RBI triple to right-center field by Ward, a run-scoring single down the left-field line from Justin Baker and run-scoring double to right-center field by Joey Appino.
Elmhurst scored a single run in the fifth to trim the deficit to 5-3.
Carroll responded with six runs on six hits in what proved to be a decisive sixth, sparked on an RBI double to right-center field by Benton Holly, an RBI double down the left-field line by Eli Syverson, a two-run single to left-center field by Ward, a run-scoring single to left field by Appino and an RBI fielder's choice grounder by Haugh.
The Pioneers' final run came in the seventh on an RBI sacrifice flyout to right field by Trevor Benz.
Elmhurst added two runs in the seventh and three in the ninth but couldn't get any closer.
Carroll utilized three pitchers including starter Brett Buzzelli, Josh Streu and Noah Hoffman. The trio combined to allow eight earned runs on 13 hits with six strikeouts and four walks.
Buzzelli, a 5-10, 180-pound junior right-hander from Homer Glen, Ill., earrned his second victory of the season to improve to 2-2 overall. He threw 87 pitches in facing 23 batters through five complete innings, yielding three earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

GAME 2
Nick Herzog, a 6-foot, 165-pound freshman shortstop from Sheboygan, Wis., went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored to help propel Carroll's eight-hit attack in the finale.
Ward and Appino each added two hits for the Pioneers, who finished with four hits for extra bases (three doubles and one triple).
Carroll scored the first run of the game in the second on an RBI groundout by Haugh and extended its lead to 2-0 in the third on a sacrifice fly out to right field by Benz.
Elmhurst, which dropped to 8-9 overall, scored a single run in the third to trim the deficit to 2-1.
Carroll added four runs in the six as Appino and Ward each scored as the result of a fielding error and Herzog followed with a two-run single to right-center field.
The Pioneers' final run came in the ninth on an RBI double to left-center field from Ward.
Carroll used two pitchers including starter Scotty Starovich and Connor Kelly.
Starovich earned his first victory of the season to improve to 1-1 overall, yielding just one earned run on seven hits with eight strikeouts and one walk through 7 2/3 innings.
Starovich, a 6-3, 185-pound left-hander from Pleasant Prairie, Wis., was a stabilizing force by throwing 106 pitches in facing 31 batters, forcing nine ground outs and six fly outs in the process.
The memorable outing took on added significance as it was the first victory of the year for Starovich, who missed the 2022 season following ulnar collateral ligament surgery (also known as Tommy John surgery).