LISLE, Ill. – The University of Chicago baseball team snapped its losing streak with timely hitting and solid pitching to take both ends of a doubleheader at Benedictine University, 5-1 and 7-4 on Wednesday.

The Maroons improved to 4-8 and dropped the Eagles to 7-10.

Game One – UChicago 5, Benedictine 1

Benedictine scored the first run on a double-play groundout in the first inning. But that would be all the Eagles would get against Nick Watson the rest of the way. The junior right-handed pitcher not only earned his first collegiate victory, he also threw a complete game. Over seven innings, Watson (1-1) held the hosts to three hits and five walks while adding three strikeouts.

UChicago got rolling in the top of the second inning. Freshman outfielder Max Larsen singled through the left side to drive in a run and senior outfielder Edward Akers then scored on a wild pitch. Freshman shortstop Dean Christakes provided the third run with a RBI single to left field.

A two-run double by senior third baseman Kyle Engel in the fourth inning closed out the scoring and gave UChicago the 5-1 victory. The Maroons racked up 10 hits and committed two errors. Engel hit 3-for-4 with two RBI, Akers was 2-for-3 and Larsen batted 2-for-4 with one RBI.

Game Two – UChicago 7, Benedictine 4

UChicago transferred the momentum from game one into game two right away. The offense tallied six runs in the first two innings to seize control of the proceedings. The first three runners reached base and senior outfielder William Katzka brought in one with a sacrifice fly. Senior designated hitter Andrew VanWazer followed up by cranking a two-run double and freshman catcher Matt Slodzinski knocked in another on a single.

The Maroons made it 6-0 in the second inning with another sacrifice fly by Katzka and a RBI single from sophomore first baseman Thomas Prescott.

However, Benedictine kept things interesting by chopping the deficit to 6-4 by the end of the fourth inning. UChicago added an insurance run in the fifth when sophomore second baseman Ryan Krob drove in Akers with a single up the middle.

The Maroon defense helped end an Eagle threat in the sixth. With two runners on and one out, sophomore pitcher William Potebnya-Meyer induced a double-play ground ball. After Benedictine notched a lead-off single in the seventh, Potebnya-Meyer retired the next three batters to earn his first save of the season.

Freshman Michael Davis tossed the first 2-1/3 innings with a pitching line that included six hits, three runs, one walk and one strikeout. Senior Simon Swanson (1-0) got the victory in three innings of middle relief. The right hander posted four hits, one run, one walk and one strikeout. Potebnya-Meyer struck out one and allowed one hit in 1-2/3 innings.

UChicago tallied seven hits with no errors. Prescott was 2-for-4 at the plate and Engel went 1-for-1 with two walks.

NEXT GAMES:

• Saturday, Apr. 4 – UChicago at University of Wisconsin-Platteville (DH), 1 PM