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NAPERVILLE — The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) baseball season continued through the final week of March with record-setting offensive performances, national statistical marks and a series of conference matchups that affected the early standings.
Between last Friday and Tuesday, the league’s nine members took part in several closely contested games that contributed to movement in the conference race and featured a number of individuals producing among the top statistical totals in Division III.
Marathon Men: Eleven Innings and Thirty-Five Runs Later
The conference schedule opened with a weekend series between Wheaton and Augustana that concluded with a high-scoring extra-inning game last Saturday. Wheaton secured the series by winning last Friday’s opener, 8-1, and the first game of last Saturday’s doubleheader, 10-4.
The final game of the series extended 11 innings and lasted four hours and 49 minutes in Moline, with Augustana earning an 18-17 walk-off victory. The game featured 35 combined runs and 37 hits. Christian Clark led the Vikings with career highs of four hits and six RBI, while AJ Macak drove in the winning run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning. Will Clegg recorded four RBI for Wheaton in the loss as the teams split the Saturday doubleheader.
A 20-6 Statement: Cardinals Complete the Sweep
North Central pushed its winning streak to eight games last Sunday by completing a series sweep of Carthage with a 20-6 win in Kenosha. The Cardinals matched their season high for runs, aided by an eight-run third inning. Jackson Bland collected four hits, including a two-run home run and his conference-leading fifth triple of the season, while Payton Diaz drove in five runs.
The three-game sweep moved North Central into a share of first place in the CCIW standings with a 4-2 league mark. Carthage received home runs from Zander Tubbs and Caden Meyer in the series finale.
Pioneer Tracks: Stealing the Spotlight in Waukesha
Carroll showed consistent activity on the bases during its weekend series against North Park, led by senior outfielder Evan Becker, who was later named the CCIW Hitter of the Week. Becker hit .538 during the week and finished 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts as Carroll swept last Saturday’s doubleheader by scores of 9-8 and 11-1.
The Pioneers rank fifth nationally in total stolen bases with 79 and 10th in stolen bases per game at 3.59. North Park avoided the sweep with an 8-5 win at home last Sunday. Taylor Joseph went 3-for-4 in that game with two doubles and a three-run home run.
Blue Heat: Millikin Moves Up the Polls and Down the Leaderboard
Millikin continued to rank among the top pitching teams in the country, entering the week eighth nationally with a 3.02 team ERA. The Big Blue, ranked No. 26 in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll, displayed that depth in a 2-1 victory over North Central last Tuesday. Joey Ross allowed one run over 6.2 innings in the start, and Gavin Houchins recorded his third save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
Earlier in the week, Millikin split a doubleheader with Illinois Wesleyan, winning the opener 9-8 in 12 innings last Saturday before dropping the second game, 4-3.
The Art of the Double: Wyatt’s National Pace
Several conference statistical leaders continued to place themselves among the top performers nationally, particularly in extra-base categories. North Central’s Parker Wyatt ranks fourth in Division III with 14 doubles and second nationally in doubles per game at 0.70. That production has contributed to the Cardinals ranking 15th in the country in doubles per game as a team.
In other offensive categories, Augustana’s Kaileb Hackman leads the CCIW with a .462 batting average, followed by North Park’s John Greenwood at .453. North Park’s Taylor Joseph holds the conference lead in slugging percentage at .772, which ranks 41st nationally.
Magnet at the Plate: Scott’s Bruising On-Base Strategy
Wheaton outfielder James Scott has continued to produce at a high level in on-base situations, due in part to his pace in being hit by pitches. Scott leads the conference and ranks second nationally with 24 hit-by-pitches, helping him post a CCIW-best .565 on-base percentage.
On the bases, North Park’s Joe Perona ranks 12th nationally with 20 stolen bases and 11th in runs per game at 1.71. On the pitching side, Millikin’s Gavin Houchins and Caleb Akins have contributed to the conference’s strong national standing. Houchins ranks 11th nationally with a 0.83 WHIP, while Akins is seventh in Division III with two complete games.
Weekend Forecast: A Scramble at the Top of the Standings
As of Thursday, the CCIW standings showed a three-way tie in the loss column at the top, with North Park, North Central and Illinois Wesleyan each carrying a .667 winning percentage in conference play. Wheaton followed at 3-2, while Millikin stood at 4-3. Carroll was even at 2-2, followed by Augustana at 1-2. Carthage and Elmhurst are both still seeking their first conference wins.
The upcoming schedule includes several conference matchups beginning this Friday and Saturday. On Friday, North Central will travel to Wheaton for an 11 a.m. start, while Illinois Wesleyan will visit Carroll at 1 p.m.
Augustana is scheduled to face Elmhurst at 1 p.m. Friday, and Carthage will play at Millikin at 1:30 p.m. Doubleheaders continue Saturday, including Elmhurst at Augustana beginning at 12 p.m. and Illinois Wesleyan at Carroll at 1:00 p.m.
Early next week, North Park will travel to Wheaton for a 6 p.m. game on Monday.
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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).