Chicago, Ill. - In a high-scoring home-opener, the Illinois Tech baseball team jumped out to an 8-1 lead, trailed 9-8 entering the bottom of the seventh, and then hit home runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings to complete the comeback and defeat Elmhurst University 11-9 Monday afternoon at Ed Glancy Field.  The Scarlet Hawks improved to 3-4 overall on the season, and have now won three straight games after starting the season 0-4. The Blue Jays dropped to 4-4.

Matthew Jackson hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Connor Blake hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Blake pitched six innings, allowing five hits, no earned runs while striking out five batters. Alexander Lazes pitched the final two innings in relief for the win.

The Hawks opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when Peyton Vieluf singled home Michael Paxson, who had doubled in the previous at bat.

In the bottom of the fourth, an RBI double and a couple Blue Jays errors lead the Hawks to push across three more runs to take a 4-0 lead.

Elmhurst finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning, when Troy Taller singled home Jonathan Mays to cut their deficit to 4-1.

The Hawks got that run back and one more in the bottom of the fifth on a pair of RBI singles by Brandon Bennitt and Jackson, boosting their lead to 6-1.

Illinois Tech added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on RBI singles by Blake and Samuel Sproule.

The top of the seventh saw the wheels fall of the Scarlet Hawks wagon, as the Blue Jays put up eight runs, including a three-run homer by Trey Romay and a two-run homer by Freddie March, to take a 9-8 lead.

The Hawks answered back with the long ball in the bottom of the seventh and eighth to gain the comeback and take the game.

Scarlet Hawks Watch

• Blake went six innings, allowing five hits, no earned runs while striking out five. He also went 4-5 at the plate, with three RBI and two runs scored
• Lazes pitched two innings of one-hit ball, allowing no runs, striking out two and securing the win
• Jackson was 2-5 with three RBI
• Bennitt was 2-4 with two RBI and two stolen bases
• Vieluf was 2-4 with an RBI and a stolen base

Blue Jays Watch

• Romay was 4-5 with three RBI
• March was 2-4 with two RBI
• Drew Raspolich was 2-5 with two runs scored

Inside The Box Score

• The Scarlet Hawks turned three double plays in the contest
• The Hawks stole four bases
• The Blue Jays committed six errors on the day

Up Next

• The Scarlet Hawks will host North Central College(IL) Saturday, March 19th in a double-header that starts at noon at Ed Glancy Field.