Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder softball team remained undefeated in CCIW play following a sweep of Millikin in a conference doubleheader at home on Saturday. The Thunder cruised to a 14-1 win in the first game and Wheaton closed out the sweep of Millikin with a 16-8 win in the nightcap.

Wheaton improves to 14-9 overall and 4-0 in CCIW action with today's victories. Wheaton is scheduled to travel to Benedictine next Tuesday for a doubleheader with the Eagles. The Thunder will host North Central on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. for a critical CCIW doubleheader. The Cardinals and Thunder are currently the only undefeated squads in league play with identical 4-0 CCIW records.

Wheaton topped Millikin in today's first game as the Thunder scored 14 runs, on 10 hits with no errors and Millikin scored one run, on three hits, with six errors. Thunder starting pitcher Katie Thornton (8-5) earned the win in five innings. Thornton (PICTURED LEFT) allowed one run, scattering three hits, committing six errors.

Alyssa Leonard was 2-for-4 with a grand slam as she drove in four runs and scored twice. Julia Arthur was 1-for-2 with a home run as she scored twice and drove in two runs. Thornton helped her own cause going 2-for-2 with three runs scored. Emily Bonga had a 2-for-3 effort with a double, driving in three runs with a run scored.

Wheaton took advantage of three Millikin errors in the first inning to score eight runs for an early 8-0 lead. The key hit in the inning was a long grand slam to centerfield by Leonard. Millikin scored a run in the top of the second inning with a run, however, Wheaton countered with four runs in the bottom of the second to increase its lead to 12-1. Bonga hit a RBI-double in the inning, while Christina Sandstedt and Becky Leone each drove in a run.

Wheaton increased its lead to 13-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning on a RBI-single by Lyndsey Pritchard (PICTURED RIGHT). Arthur hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth for the 14-1 Wheaton lead that would become the final score.

Wheaton won the second game 16-8 as the Thunder scored 16 runs, on 16 hits, with one errors and Millikin tallied eight runs, on nine hits, with four errors. Thornton worked 3-1/3 innings in the game to earn the save. She allowed one run, on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Abby Butler (6-1) allowed six runs, including five earned runs, on four hits with one walk. Kendall Kehres allowed one run in one-third of an inning of relief.

Thornton was 3-for-3 at the plate with two walks and three runs scored. Sandstedt was 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and two RBI. Pritchard was 3-for-5 with a home run as she drove in three runs with two runs scored. Leonard had a 3-for-5 effort with five RBI as she hit two doubles and scored once.

Millikin took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Wheaton scored three times in the top of the second inning to take a 3-1 as Sandstedt hit a RBI-double and Pritchard belted a two-run home run in the inning. The Big Blue tied the game at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning.

Wheaton countered with six runs in the top of the third inning, an effort that was highlighted by a three-run double from Leonard. Abby Coster, Lyndsey Pritchard and Christina Sandstedt each added a RBI-single in the inning. Millikin scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 9-5. The Thunder scored twice more in the top of the second inning as the inning was highlighted by a RBI-single for Bonga. Millikin scored three times in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 11-8.

In the top of the fifth inning, Leonard scored on a steal of home and Ellen Radandt drove in a run with a RBI-double to extend Wheaton's lead to 13-8. Wheaton earned the eight-run win by scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Leonard.