Faced with the prospect of playing one third of its league schedule over a period of five days that could dramatically impact its season, the John Carroll baseball team needed its bats to catch fire.

As it turned out Tuesday at Wilmington College, the bats proved to be downright incendiary. The Blue Streaks clubbed 30 hits and scored 23 runs in sweeping the Quakers, 14-5 and 9-2.

GAME ONE

It did take a while for the bats to warm up. The game was scoreless through three innings until Patrick Scholla had an RBI hit to score Tyler Gentile in the fourth. Gentile had singled to lead off the frame and then stole second to set up the first tally of the contest.

In the fifth, David Crowley hit a solo home run with one out that seemed to be the spark for what became a five run outburst. Dom Mittiga then produced a two-out to run hit, and Scholla followed immediately with a two-run home run.

The Quakers would try to keep matters within striking distance, and when the seventh inning was over, the score was 9-5 in favor of John Carroll. The drama would come to an end, however, in the top of the eighth. Patrick Keohane drew a bases loaded walk to push across one run, and then James Molnar, Rob Cifelli and Jacob Shriner had three consecutive run scoring hits to put the game out of reach.

Aaron Lapaglia was not as sharp as in previous outings, but nevertheless set a JCU program record with his 24th career victory, surpassing the 23 amassed by John O'Rourke from 1996-99. In six and two-thirds innings, Lapaglia allowed five runs (four earned) on ten hits, striking out four and walking four.

GAME TWO

It was another five run inning that settled matters in the nightcap. After Cifelli doubled and scored in the first inning, the Blue Streaks crossed the plate five times in the third.

With one out, Crowley, Schriner and Mike Raschilla had back-to-back-to-back singles, setting up Gentile. With one mighty swing, Gentile altered the game was a grand slam to left field.

John Carroll was not done. For the second time in as many games, Scholla would knock a pitch out of the park to give the Blue Streaks a 6-0 advantage.

The resurgent offense added two runs in the fifth and one in the eighth in support of Brandon Maddern. The senior starter had another fantastic day, striking out ten and allowing just two runs over seven innings. Steve Virost and Joseph Franke eached pitched an inning of scoreless releief to preserve the sweep.

John Carroll is now 11-12 overall and 4-2 in the OAC. Wilmington falls to 3-24 overall and 0-6 in the league.