Wheaton, Ill - The Wheaton softball team hosted Carthage College for a CCIW doubleheader at Ruth Leedy Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Reds (8-10, 1-3 CCIW) won the opener 2-1 and Wheaton closed out the afternoon with a 15-3 victory in the nightcap.

Wheaton is now 20-5 overall and 6-2 in CCIW play. The Thunder, ranked 24th in the week's NFCA Division III Coaches Poll, will host eighth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan (19-4, 4-1 CCIW) on Saturday afternoon in a key CCIW doubleheader.

Carthage emerged with a 2-1 victory in today's opener. The Lady Reds scored two runs, on two hits with no errors and Wheaton tallied one run, on two hits with one error. Senior starting pitcher Katie Thornton (14-4) worked seven innings, allowed two runs, including one earned run. She held Carthage to just two hits, with 11 strikeouts and three walks. Freshman Kelly Thornton was 1-for-2 with a home run. Megan Neuhaus was 1-for-2 as she collected Wheaton's other hit of the matchup.

Thornton broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning as she hit a solo home run to lead off the inning. Carthage broke up Thornton's no-hitter attempt in the top of the fifth inning and scored a run to tie the matchup at 1-1. The Lady Reds registered an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning to account for the 2-1 final score.

Wheaton responded in the second game with a 15-3 victory. The Thunder registered 15 runs, on 19 hits, with two errors and Carthage tallied three runs, on four hits with no errors. Starting pitcher Kendall Kehres (2-2) earned the win in five innings. She allowed three runs, on four hits, with two walks.

Every Thunder starter collected at least one hit in the game. Right fielder Julia Arthur was 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and two runs scored. Freshman infielder Hannah Clark (PICTURED LEFT) was 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park homerun. Clark drove in three runs and scored twice. Senior Katie Yergler was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Katie Thornton was 2-for-2 with a home run. Alyssa Leonard, Christina Sandstedt and Neuhaus each collected two hits in the contest.

Wheaton took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Sandstedt drove in a pair of runs on a single to give the Thunder the lead. Wheaton added five runs in the top of the third inning as Arthur hit a two-run single and Leonard added a three-run double. Carthage responded with three runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 7-3.

A solo home run for Katie Thornton and a RBI-double by Hannah Clark in the top of the fourth inning increased Wheaton's advantage to 9-3. The Thunder added six more runs in the top of the fifth inning to pick up the 15-3 lead and end the game at the end of the fifth on the eight-run rule. Clark's home run drove in two runs and Leonard added a two-run single. Sandstedt had a RBI-double in the inning and Radandt drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.