MONTGOMERY, Illinois — Wabash wrapped up the 2025 regular season with a non-conference doubleheader at Aurora University on Friday. The Little Giants split the series, losing 13-3 in eight innings in game one before earning an 8-3 victory in game two.
GAME 1 | Aurora 13, Wabash 3
Though there were plenty of opportunities, Wabash had a hard time cashing them in, leaving 12 Little Giants on base in a 13-3 loss at the hands of the Aurora University Spartans in the first game of the non-conference doubleheader.
Aidan McConnell (4-3) started and took the loss on the mound for Wabash (27-13).
Trailing 7-0, the Little Giants first put runs on the board in the fifth inning. Wabash got on the board thanks to Evan Neukam’s RBI double with two outs.
The Spartans expanded their lead to 10-1 before the Little Giants offense got back to work, cutting into that lead in the seventh. Wabash brought home a pair, with one run driven in by Will Fremion’s single, which tightened the Spartans’ lead to 10-3. The Little Giants could not get any closer, as Aurora added three runs to its tally on the way to a 13-3 final.
GAME NOTES
• Wabash’s highest-scoring inning was the seventh when it pushed two runs across.
• Wabash left 12 runners stranded on base in the loss.
• Wabash pitchers faced 46 Aurora hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out five.
• The Little Giants drew seven walks from Aurora pitching.
• Neukam led the Little Giants at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
GAME 2 | Wabash 8, Aurora 3
Wabash took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to an 8-3 win over the Spartans in the second game of the twin bill.
Jared Kirsch (4-0) got the win for Wabash. The left-hander went 5.1 innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on seven hits, allowing three walks and striking out four. Jackson Fronek also pitched well, going 3.2 shutout innings while allowing two hits, walking none, and striking out three.
The Little Giants got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the top of the first inning. Will McKinzie came across to score the lone run of the inning for Wabash and get them on the board.
The Little Giants held the Spartans scoreless before getting back on the board the next inning. Wabash picked up two runs when a single from Caleb Ellspermann brought home Will Phillips and Bradley Gilliam, which brought the score to 3-0 in favor of the Little Giants.
Aurora narrowed Wabash’s lead to 3-2 before the Little Giants stretched the advantage to 5-2 in the third inning.
Wabash held the Spartans without a run before their offense got back in action the next inning. The Little Giants added a run on Camden Scheidt’s one-out RBI double, bringing the score to 6-2 in favor of Wabash.
Aurora got within 6-3 until the Little Giants scored again in the sixth inning to stretch its lead to 8-3. Wabash brought home a pair, with one run driven in by Ben Henke’s single. The score remained 8-3 for the rest of the game as the Little Giants coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
• Gilliam had three base hits in the game for Wabash.
• Wabash’s highest-scoring inning was the sixth when it pushed two runs across.
• Wabash grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn’t surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
• Four Little Giants had multiple hits in the ballgame.
• The Little Giants out-hit the Spartans at an 11-9 clip.
• Wabash went 5-for-12 (.417) with runners in scoring position.
• Wabash pitchers limited Aurora to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
• Wabash pitchers faced 40 Aurora hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out seven.
• Scheidt led the Little Giants at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
• Wabash will play in the 2025 North Coast Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, set to begin on Thursday at the V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.
