Wheaton, Ill. (4/23) – The Thunder softball team hosted Benedictine University on Monday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. Benedictine defeated Wheaton 2-0 in 16 innings in the first game. The nightcap was called by the umpires after five innings due to darkness with the score tied at 5-5. Wheaton is now 15-18-1 on the season and Benedictine is 21-12-1 on the year. The Thunder will resume conference play on Wednesday at North Park University.
In the Eagles' 2-0 victory in the 16-inning first game, Benedictine scored two runs, on nine hits, with no errors and Wheaton had no runs, on 10 hits, with five errors. Neither team scored through the first 15 innings. The Eagles scored two runs in the top of the 16th to take a 2-0 lead. Benedictine shut out the Thunder in the 16th inning to earn the win.
Starting pitcher Beth Millerpitched well in 11-2/3 innings, scattering six hits, with 13 strikeouts and two walks. Kim Hegna pitched 2-2/3 innings, with no hits allowed, on walk and one strikeout. Sara Hoffman (2-7) took the loss in 1-2/3 innings of relief, allowing two runs, on three hits, with one walk. Freshman Kay Oliver was 3-for-7 with a double. Senior Amanda Grant was 2-for-7, with a double.
In the 5-5 tie in the nightcap, Wheaton scored five runs, on eight hits, with no errors and Benedictine scored five runs, on eight hits, with three errors. Benedictine scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, however Wheaton tied the game in the bottom of the first when junior Sara Callicutt and Miller each drove in a run. Benedictine scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 5-2 lead. Wheaton scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning when Callicut scored for the second time in the game and freshman Alissa Sharp singled to drive in Trinity Pierce.
With darkness quickly approaching at the conclusion of the fourth inning the umpires announced to each dugout that the fifth would be the final inning of the game. The Eagles went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth giving Wheaton the bottom of the fifth inning to catch up to the guests. Pierce belted a leadoff triple and scored on a fielder's choice that was hit by Grant to tie the game at 5-5. The Thunder was unable to score the go-ahead run and the game was called at 7:35 PM in a 5-5 tied.
Hegna was the starting pitcher for the Thunder. She allowed five runs, on eight hits, with three walks and four strikeouts. Pierce was 3-for-3, with two runs, including the game-tying run in the fifth inning. Callicutt was 1-for-2, with a walk, a stolen base, two runs and a hit.
