Sangamon Sun

The Illinois College baseball team began their 2024 season with two victories during the IC Baseball Invitational, held at Joe Brooks Field. The Blueboys defeated Loras College 8-5 and Wisconsin Lutheran College 8-6 on Saturday.

In the first game against Loras, Branson Shaw started as pitcher for Illinois College. After a challenging start, the Blueboys reduced a three-run deficit to secure victory. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Adam Passmore and Louie Bartletti drew consecutive walks, leading to runs from Nolan Decker and Logan Schweigert. Ryne Mapes contributed with a walk that set up Passmore's triple, tying the game.

Shaw pitched effectively through six innings with seven strikeouts. Connor Hennemann’s two-run single in the sixth gave Illinois College a lead they maintained until Aiden Lougeay relieved Shaw. Ben Jarboe closed out the game for Illinois College.

In the second game against Wisconsin Lutheran, Andrew Wieneke took to the mound for Illinois College. Despite early challenges including multiple walks and hit-by-pitches that allowed two runs for Wisconsin Lutheran, IC quickly responded by capitalizing on fielding errors to take an early lead.

Illinois College managed four runs in one inning due to hits from Jon Tate, Hennemann, Hulvey, Passmore, and Bartletti's triple. Wieneke delivered scoreless third and fourth innings before being troubled again in the fifth when Wisconsin Lutheran tied it at six with Nolan Hodgins' home run.

Passmore secured another lead for IC in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Mapes. Relievers Jacob Smith and Charlie Lardi then held off any further scoring threats from Wisconsin Lutheran.

IC concluded their invitational play by hosting St. Norbert College on Sunday.