South Bend, Ind. – The Wheaton softball team extended its win streak to five games on Saturday with a pair of wins at Saint Mary's College (Ind.). Wheaton topped the Belles 6-1 in the opener and the Thunder won the nightcap 2-0. Wheaton (11-3) will return to action next Saturday at Albion College.

Wheaton topped Saint Mary's 6-1 in today's first game as the Thunder scored six runs, on nine hits, with no errors and the Belles registered one run on seven hits with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Katie Thornton (6-3) earned the complete game win in seven innings of work. She allowed just one earned run, on seven hits with nine strikeouts and one walk. Thornton helped her own cause with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate and she scored a run. Katie Yergler was 2-for-4 with a triple. Freshman Kelly Thornton hit a pinch hit home run in her only at bat of the game.
 
Saint Mary's broke a scoreless tie with one run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Wheaton quickly responded with two runs in the top of the fourth inning thanks to a RBI double by Emily Bonga. Bonga's double gave Wheaton a 2-1 lead.

Wheaton tallied four insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning. Kelly Thornton drove in three runs with her first collegiate home run in the sixth and Alyssa Leonard drove in one run with a sacrifice fly. Katie Thornton held the Belles hitless in the final two innings to secure the 6-1 victory for the Thunder.

Wheaton won tonight's second game 2-0 as the Thunder scored two runs, on four hits with two errors and the Belles had no runs, on just one hit with no errors. Freshman pitcher Jaclyn McLean (2-0) earned the win in five scoreless innings of work. The rookie allowed just one hit with one walk and one strikeout. Katie Thornton pitched two innings of scoreless relief and she struck out three.

Leonard was 2-for-3 at the plate for the guests and she drove in both of Wheaton's runs in the outing. Ellen Radandt and Hannah Clark each collected a hit to account for Wheaton's four base hits in the game.

Both of Wheaton's runs in the nightcap came in the top of the second inning. Leonard stepped up to the plate in the second inning with Julia Arthur at second base and Kelly Thornton at third. Leonard hit a two-run single to centerfield that scored both base runners and gave the Thunder all the runs that the guests would need as Wheaton earned the 2-0 victory.