Game 1 Boxscore --- Game 2 Boxscore

Los Angeles, Calif. – The Wheaton College softball team opened its season on Monday afternoon with a doubleheader at Occidental College (3-8). Wheaton won the opener of the twinbill 4-0 and the Tigers earned a 3-2 win in the nightcap. Wheaton (1-1) will begin four days of participation in Chapman University's Sunwest Tournament on Tuesday with a pair of games. The Thunder will face Penn State-Abington at 12 PM (PST) and take on DeSales University at 2 PM (PST).

In the 4-0 Thunder victory in the opener, sophomore pitcher Ainsley McCullough tossed a complete game shutout, scattering four hits. McCullough also struck out one batter. Senior infielder Adrienne Munoz was 3-for-3 at the plate, with a home run and walk. The Thunder captain scored two runs and she drove in two more, helping contribute to all four of Wheaton's runs in the victory. Wheaton scored four runs, on six hits, with no errors and Occidental scored no runs, on four hits, committing two errors.

Munoz led off the top of the first inning with a single and she was followed by Katie Iser who reached on a Tiger error. Shortstop Lauren Griffith hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Munoz to score. Four batters later, designated player Christine Williams hit a single to bring Iser across the plate and give the Thunder a 2-0 lead.

Wheaton extended its lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth inning with a pair of runs. Lesley Guenard drew a two-out walk to extend the sixth inning and Munoz followed in the next at bat with a two-run home run to give the Thunder the lead that would become the final score.

Occidental won the nightcap 3-2 as the Tigers scored three runs, on seven hits, with three errors and Wheaton scored twice, with five hits and committed one error. Wheaton freshman Danielle Schmidt pitched six innings in her first collegiate game for the Thunder. She allowed three earned runs, on seven hits, with three strikeouts and one walk. Leftfielder Megan Chrans was 2-for-4 at the plate for the guests.

Occidental scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie and take a 3-0 lead. Wheaton freshman Suzanne Teuben hit a one-out single to centerfield in the top of the seventh inning and Guenard reached base on the next at bat due to an Occidental error. Pinch hitter Amanda Mattocks hit a single to centerfield that drove both Teuben and Guenard in, cutting the Tigers' lead to 3-2. Wheaton could not muster the tying run, however, as the Tigers took the 3-2 victory to split the twinbill.