Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder softball split a doubleheader with #10-ranked North Central (22-2, 7-1 CCIW) on Thursday afternoon at Wheaton's Ruth Leedy Field. The Cardinals won the opener 12-3 and Wheaton shut out North Central 9-0 in the second game. Wheaton snapped North Central's 12-game winning streak with today's win and the picked up its first win against a nationally-ranked opponent since a victory against Augustana on April 7, 2014.

Wheaton shut out the Cardinals 9-0 in the nightcap as the Thunder scored nine runs, on 12 hits with no errors and North Central had no runs, on five hits, with one error. Katie Thornton (9-7) earned the win in five innings of work. She held North Central scoreless with five hits, one walk and four strikeouts. Megan Neuhaus (PICTURED LEFT) was 4-for-4, with a double, a stolen base, a run scored and a RBI. Lyndsey Pritchard was 2-for-3 with a run. Alyssa Leonard was 2-for-4 with two runs, a RBI and a stolen base.

Wheaton took an early lead with a pair runs in the top of the first inning as Pritchard hit a RBI-single and Thornton drove in a run with a RBI-single. Neuhaus belted a RBI double in the top of the second inning to increase the hosts' lead to 3-0. The Thunder added two more runs in the top of the third inning for a 5-0 advantage.

Leonard (PICTURED RIGHT) stole home on a double-steal in the top of the fourth inning to extend Wheaton's lead to 6-0. The hosts scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 9-0 lead in an inning that was highlighted by a RBI-double for Julia Arthur.

North Central earned the 12-3 win in the opener as the Cardinals scored 12 runs, on 11 hits, with no errors and Wheaton tallied three runs, on five hits, with seven errors. Thornton worked two innings, allowing one unearned run, on one hit, with one walk and two strikeouts. Abby Butler pitched three innings as she allowed five runs, including four earned runs, on six hits, with one walk. Kendall Kehres worked one inning as she allowed six runs, including five earned runs, on four hits, with two walks. Abby Coster was 2-for-2 with a run scored.

North Central scored one run in the top of the first inning and added two more runs in the top of the third for a 3-0 lead. Becky Leone hit a solo home for the Thunder in the bottom of the third inning to cut the Cardinals' lead to 3-1. The guests increased their lead to 4-1 with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Leonard hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth inning as Wheaton cut North Central's lead to 4-3. North Central broke the game open with eight runs in the top of the sixth inning to earn the 12-3 victory.
 
Wheaton is now 15-12 on the season and 5-1 in CCIW play. The Thunder will travel to #22-Augustana on Saturday for a doubleheader with the Vikings.