PICTURED ABOVE: Katie Yergler collected five hits on Monday with two doubles and a triple.

Elmhurst, Ill.- The Thunder softball team, ranked 25^th in the most recent NFCA Division III Coaches Poll, split a conference doubleheader at Elmhurst College (11-9, 1-1 CCIW) on Monday afternoon. Wheaton won the opener 7-2 in nine innings and the Bluejays picked up an 8-1 win in the second game.

Wheaton is now 19-5 on the season and 5-1 in CCIW play. The Thunder will host Carthage on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. for a CCIW doubleheader with the Lady Reds.

Wheaton won the opener 7-2 in nine innings. The two teams played six scoreless innings and then each team scored twice in the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings. Wheaton responded with five runs in the top of the ninth to earn the win.

The Thunder scored seven runs in the game, on 15 hits, with two errors and Elmhurst tallied two runs, on seven hits with three errors. Thunder starting pitcher Katie Thornton (PICTURED LEFT) earned the win in nine innings of work to improve to 14-3 on the year. The senior allowed two runs, with no earned runs on seven hits, with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Thunder centerfielder Katie Yergler was 3-for-5 at the plate with a double as she scored one run. Senior Christina Sandstedt was 3-for-5 with two runs driven in and one run scored. Freshman Hannah Clark was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Shortstop Megan Neuhaus registered a double as she went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI. Freshman Kelly Thornton was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

The two squads played six scoreless innings. Wheaton took a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning on a RBI-double by Kelly Thornton and a RBI-single by Christina Sandstedt. Elmhurst countered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at 2-2 and send the matchup to extra innings.

Following a scoreless eighth inning for each team Wheaton countered with five runs in the top of the ninth to account for the 7-2 final score. RBI-singles by Kelly Thornton, Sandstedt and Neuhaus each registered RBI-single for the guests.

The second game saw the Bluejays utilize a big seventh inning to earn the 8-1 victory. Elmhurst scored eight runs, on 11 hits with one error and Wheaton tallied one run, on four hits with no errors. Starting pitcher Kendall Kehres (2-1) worked six innings, allowed seven runs, on 10 hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Freshman reliever Jaclyn McLean worked one inning, allowed one run, on one hit with one strikeout.

Yergler was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple for the Thunder. Sandstedt (PICTURED RIGHT) hit her sixth home run of the year in the seventh inning. Alyssa Leonard added a single for the Thunder.

Elmhurst scored the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning on a steal of home when a Thunder pickoff attempt saw a dropped ball allow the Elmhurst baserunner to score. The Bluejays added seven runs in the top of the seventh to increase the lead to 8-0. Wheaton's lone run came on Sandstedt's homer in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Note Worthy: Following Wheaton's win in the opener it marked the first 5-0 start to CCIW play in program history...Sandstedt's home run was her sixth of the season, a mark that is tied for the eighth-highest single-season total in program history...Yergler's triple in the nightcap was her fifth of the season, tied for third in single-season history...Katie Thornton's victory in game-one was her 14th of the season, the fourth-highest single-season total in the Wheaton record books...Thornton's seven strikeouts in opener increased her school-record for career strikeouts to 419.