Wheaton, Ill. (4/5) – The Thunder softball team split its conference-opening doubleheader with North Central on Thursday under cold and blustery conditions. Wheaton was a 10-8 victor in the opener as the Thunder scored 10 runs, on 16 hits, with three errors and North Central plated eight runs, on 12 hits, with two errors. North Central won the second game 2-1 as the Cardinals scored two runs, on six hits, with three errors and Wheaton scored one run, on five hits, with three errors.
Wheaton is now 12-8 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. North Central is 13-5 overall and 1-1 in league play. Wheaton is scheduled to participate in the North Central Tournament this Saturday in Naperville. Wheaton will face Clarke College at 11 AM and take on North Central at 3 PM in Saturday's Tournament.
North Central jumped out to a 1-0 lead with one run in the top of the first inning in the 10-8 Thunder win in the opener. The Cardinals' lead was extended to 4-0 with three runs in the top of the third inning. Wheaton cut the guests' lead to 4-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Trinity Pierce and Alissa Sharp hit back-to-back RBI singles. Wheaton took a 6-4 lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Kay Oliver led off the fourth inning by belting a double to leftfield. A single by Sarah Jones brought Oliver home and then Jones scored on a single by junior Sarah Callicutt. Sharp belted a two-run double to break the 4-4 tied and give the Thunder a 6-4 lead.
North Central countered with three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 7-6 lead. Wheaton re-gained the lead with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 10-7 lead. Captain Lauren Hein led off the Thunder half of the sixth with a single and she scored two batters later on a two-run home run over the centerfield fence by Pierce. Sharp and Beth Miller followed with back-to-back singles and the duo scored on a well hit double to centerfield by senior Amanda Grant. North Central scored one run in the top of the seventh inning; however, Wheaton pitcher Kim Hegna used two strikeouts to get out of a jam with runners at first and second with no outs and her team leading 10-8 to give the Thunder the win.
Hegna (5-2) pitched 5-1/3 innings to earn the win. She allowed five runs, with four earned runs, on seven hits, with four strikeouts and two walks. Miller saw 1-2/3 innings of action, allowing three runs, on five hits, with one strikeout.
Sharp was 3-for-4, with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Pierce was 2-for-3, with her sixth home run of the season, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored. Grant went 2-for-4, with a double and two RBI. Oliver was 2-for-4, with a double and Callicutt was 2-for-3, with two runs scored and a RBI.
In the North Central victory in the nightcap, the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead with one run in the bottom of the third inning. The Cardinals' lead increased to 2-0 with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Wheaton cut the North Central lead to 2-1 with a RBI-single by Miller in the top of the sixth inning, however the Cardinals held on for the victory.
Starting pitcher Sara Hoffman (1-3) tossed two innings, allowing one run, on three hits. Hegna pitched 2-1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run, on three hits. Miller pitched 1-2/3 innings of relief, with no runs, on no hits and one strikeout.
Sharp was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double. Miller was 2-for-3, with a RBI and a stolen base. A Callicutt single accounted for Wheaton's fifth hit in the game.
