DECATUR, Ill. - Carroll baseball continued CCIW play with a road trip to take on Millikin University in doubleheader action Saturday afternoon, sweeping Millikin by scores of 8-6 and 8-6 (10 innings). The two wins snapped what was a losing streak of nine consecutive games to the Big Blue, dating back to the 2019 season. In the two games combined, Carroll (11-8, 2-1 CCIW) had 24 hits, five of which went for extra bases. Millikin (10-10, 0-2 CCIW) matched the Pioneers' output with 24 hits. 

GAME 1 (8-6 Carroll, 10 innings) 

Jimmy Williams and Brody Ferko both went 3-for-5 in game one with Ferko tallying 2 RBI, one of which was a triple to the right center gap. Joey Appino, Dalen Lamberson, Lane Scott, and Nathan Crick all tallied two hits while Thomas Ward also registered a hit to round out the Pioneers offensive attack.  

After both teams scored in the first inning, Carroll failed to score in only one of the first six trips to the plate, leaving a donut on the scoreboard in the second inning. Carroll had a massive third inning,, plating four runs on four hits, highlighted by both Ferko and Crick collecting RBI singles to the outfield.  

After the Pioneers stretched the lead with one run in each of the next three frames, Millikin found themselves at an 8-3 deficit entering crunch time. The Big Blue did their part to chip into the lead by pushing across three runs on two hits in the seventh inning, bringing the game to a manageable 8-6 score. Millikin was unable to plate any runs in the next two innings as the Pios gave up two more hits the rest of the game, and Connor Nolen closed the game by striking out the side in the ninth and break a nine-game losing streak to the Big Blue. 

Carroll utilized three arms in the first game, including starter Erik Jaschinski who threw 6.1 innings and collected his second win of the season, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and striking out seven. Chayce Schultz joined Nolen in relief, striking out three in 1.2 innings and Nolen earned his third save of the season. 

GAME 2  (8-6 Carroll, 10 innings) 

Carroll showcased a ton of grit in game two, finding a way to win in the final two innings. Lamberson continued his strong season at the plate, going 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and being the only Pioneer to have a multi-hit game. Six other Pioneers safely reached base on hits, with Ward and Williams smacking doubles and Lane Scott posting the fourth triple of his career. 

For every statement one team made, the other had a response in the following frame, as Carroll held a narrow 4-3 lead through six complete. After Millikin scored three unanswered runs, Carroll found themselves down 6-4.  

Appino struck out to lead off the frame and Lamberson grounded out, as Carroll was quickly down to their final out. In their last ditch effort, senior Lane Scott came in clutch with a triple, which Williams immediately followed with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Scott, after Leo Matuga came in to pinch-run, he advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball, tying the game in thrilling fashion and giving the Pios new life. The Big Blue stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth and the two teams headed to extra innings in the three hour marathon. 

In the tenth with two runners on and two outs, senior Anthony Tado came in to pinch-hit, singling up the middle to score Scott and Lamberson and give Carroll an 8-6 lead. Just like he did in the first game, Connor Nolen entered in the eighth in relief, this time earning his fourth win of the season with two strikeouts in the tenth inning as Carroll closed the doubleheader sweep in comeback fashion. 

Carroll used a four arms in the game two victory, with Tyler Frederick earning the start and striking out four batters in six full innings. Jack Piper and Isaac Verbruggen both saw action in relief on the mound throughout the game, combining to allow three earned runs on three hits with one two strikeouts. Nolen pitched 2.1 innings to close the game, striking out five of 11 batters faced and tallying his fourth win of the season. 

Carroll will get a couple of days to prepare as weather rescheduled a road game at Illinois Wesleyan from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday evening. First pitch of that game in Bloomington, Ill. Is slated for 6 p.m.