Decatur, Ill. – The Thunder softball team closed out its 2016 CCIW schedule on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep at Millikin. Wheaton won the opener 6-1 and the Thunder closed out the sweep with a 4-2 victory in the second game.

Wheaton is now 25-9 on the year and 10-4 in CCIW play. Wheaton has secured a spot in the 2016 CCIW Softball Tournament that begins on May 5. Additionally, the 25 victories compiled by the Thunder establishes a new single-season record for victories in a year; breaking the 24 wins earned by the program in 2015.

Wheaton won the opener 6-1 as the Thunder scored six runs, on 11 hits with no errors and Millikin registered one run, on eight hits with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Katie Thornton (18-5) earned the win in six innings of work. The senior held Millikin scoreless as she scattered five hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Kendall Kehres pitched one inning of relief, allowing one run, on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Senior infielder Christina Sandstedt was 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored. Catcher Ellen Radandt (PICTURED LEFT) was 3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI. Freshman Kelly Thornton was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Millikin starter Cathy Lebryk (8-8) took the loss in seven innings as she allowed six runs (five earned runs) on 11 hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Kristen Iversen led the Big Blue offense with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate and she scored Millikin's lone run.

Wheaton scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to take an early lead. Emily Bonga drove in Wheaton's first run with a RBI-single and Katie Yergler drew a leadoff walk to give the Thunder a 2-0 lead.

The Thunder broke the game open with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to gain a 6-0 lead. Yergler and Kelly Thornton each hit back-to-back singles and Katie Thornton drew a walk to load the bases. Radandt followed with a RBI-single that brought Yergler home and a single to center field by Sandstedt brought the next two baserunners home. A Millikin error on the left side of the infield allowed Radandt to score Wheaton's sixth run of the game and give the guests a 6-0 lead. Millikin mustered one run in the bottom of the seventh inning to account for the 6-1 final score.

Wheaton won the nightcap 4-2 as the Thunder scored four runs, on seven hits with two errors and Millikin registered two runs, on eight hits, with one error. Katie Thornton (19-5) again earned the win in seven innings of work. Thornton (PICTURED RIGHT) allowed two runs, on eight hits, with six strikeouts. Alyssa Leonard was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Kelly Thornton, Radandt and Bonga each hit doubles for Wheaton.

Millikin pitcher Whitley Baker (5-9) took the loss in six innings. She allowed four runs (three earned runs) on seven hits, with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Wheaton again reached the scoreboard first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Radandt led off the second inning with a double and Megan Nehaus drew a walk. Sandstedt reached on a Millikin error that drove in Wheaton's first run and Neuhas scored on a stolen base attempt by Sandstedt to give the Thunder a 2-0 edge.

Wheaton increased its lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. The key hit for the Thunder in the inning was a two-run single to right field by Neuhaus.

Millikin remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when the Big Blue registered two runs. Millikin's Brooke Meimerl led off the inning with a double to right field and Alyssa Visvardis singled to left field in the next at bat. Iversen hit a two-run double to left centerfield that cut Wheaton's lead to 4-2. However, Thornton got out of the one-out jam with a fielder's choice and a ground out to end the game and give Wheaton its fourth consecutive win.

The Thunder will travel to Albion College on Monday at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) for a doubleheader.

Note Worthy: Katie Thornton moved into first place on Wheaton's career strikeouts list with 465 in her four seasons, passing the 463 by Danielle Schmidt (2010-13)…Christina Sandstedt moved into a tie for third place on Wheaton's career hits list with 161, a mark she shares with Trinity Pierce (2005-08)…Sandstedt now has 35 RBI this season, mark that is tied for fourth in the category in a single season in the Wheaton record books.