Naperville, Ill. (4/7) – The Thunder softball team posted a 1-1 record on Saturday under frigid conditions at the North Central College Invitational tournament. Wheaton lost an 8-1 decision to Clarke College (Iowa) in its opener and the Thunder rallied to defeat North Central 12-3 in the tournament's finale. Wheaton is now 13-9 on the season. The Thunder will play a make-up doubleheader at Trinity International University on Monday afternoon at 3:30 PM in Deerfield, Illinois.
Clarke (Iowa) was an 8-1 victor in the first game as the Crusaders scored eight runs, on 11 hits, with four errors and Wheaton scored one run, on four hits, with three errors. Junior pitcher Sara Hoffman (1-4) took the loss in three innings of work. Hoffman allowed three runs, on four hits, with one walk and a strikeout. Kim Hegna pitched four innings of relief, allowing five runs, on seven hits.
Junior captain Lauren Hein was 2-for-4 in the game. Freshman Kay Oliver hit a double and Beth Miller added a single to account for Wheaton's four hits. Oliver had a stolen base and freshman Alissa Sharp scored Wheaton's lone run in the loss.
Wheaton used two big innings to defeat North Central 12-3 in the final game of the tournament. The Thunder scored 12 runs, on 15 hits, with one error and North Central scored three runs, on seven hits, with two errors. Hoffman (2-4) was the winning pitcher with 4-2/3 innings of work for the Thunder. Hoffman allowed three runs, with two earned runs, on four hits, with one walk and a strikeout. Hegna pitched 1-1/3 innings of shutout relief, scattering three hits.
Sharp was 2-for-3 with a grand slam home run and a double Sharp drove in seven runs and scored twice. Junior outfielder Sarah Callicutt was 4-for-5, with a double, two runs scored and a run driven in. Freshman Laura Jones was 3-for-4, with a double, two runs scored and two more driven in. Senior catcher Amanda Grant was 2-for-4, with a run and a RBI. Junior Trinity Pierce was 1-for-2, with three walks and two runs scored.
Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Jones led off the inning with a single and she scored four batters later when Sharp was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. North Central drove in two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Five Wheaton baserunners crossed the plate in the top of the fourth inning to give the Thunder a 6-2 lead. Oliver led off the fourth with a single and she scored three batters later when Hein reached on a North Central error. Callicutt followed with a single and Pierce was intentionally walked to load the bases. Sharp belted a grand slam over the fence in right centerfield to give her four home runs on the season. North Central scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Thunder lead to 6-3.
Wheaton added six more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Callicutt led off the sixth with a double and Pierce was walked. Sharp brought both runners home with a double. Grant singled two batters later to bring Sharp home. Erica Casey was hit by a pitch and a Cardinal error on a ball hit by Jones allowed two more runs to score. Callicut followed with a single to drive in Jones and account for the 12-3 Thunder victory.
