GAME 1 BOXSCORE

GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Elmhurst, Ill. – The Thunder softball team split a conference doubleheader at Elmhurst College on Tuesday afternoon. Wheaton shut out the Bluejays, 7-0 to win the first game. Elmhurst (14-10/2-4) rallied back to win the second game, 5-1. Wheaton is now 16-14 on the season, with a 2-4 record in conference play. Wheaton will remain on the road on Wednesday for a 3 PM doubleheader at Lake Forest College that is a make-up date from its originally scheduled date of March 20.

Wheaton jumped out to an early lead and never looked back to win the first game on Tuesday, 7-0. Wheaton scored seven runs, on nine hits, with one error and Elmhurst had no runs, on seven hits, with four errors. Thunder starting pitcher Ainsley McCullough (9-8) earned the complete game victory in seven innings of work. The sophomore held the Bluejays scoreless on seven hits, with no walks.

Thunder junior Katie Iser was 2-for-4 at the plate, with a run scored. Freshman shortstop Lauren Griffith belted her third home run of the season in the game.

Wheaton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Adrienne Munoz drew a leadoff walk and on the next at-bat Griffith homered to leftfield. Wheaton increased its lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Jenna Lawrenz hit a leadoff double to open the second inning and she scored on a single by Kelli Hennessey. Hennessey would later score as the result of an Elmhurst error.

In the sixth inning, Hennessey reached base on an Elmhurst error and she scored on a double to left centerfield by Munoz to increase the Thunder advantage to 5-0. Wheaton added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning to account for the 7-0 final score as Lesley Guenard hit a RBI-double and Elizabeth Perez drove in a run.

Elmhurst rallied to win the second game 5-1, as the Bluejays scored five runs, on 10 hits, with two errors and Wheaton plated on run on eight hits, with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Danielle Schmidt (6-6) took the loss in 4-1/3 innings as she allowed five runs, on nine hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. McCullough pitched 2-2/3 innings of relief as she held the Bluejays scoreless, with one hit and one strikeout. Guenard was 2-for-3 in the game with a pair of doubles. Megan Chrans was 2-for-3, with a stolen base. Griffith was 2-for-4 with a double.

Munoz led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run to left centerfield. Elmhurst tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the top of the second inning. The Bluejays took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning and the hosts added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to account for the final score of 5-1.