PICTURED ABOVE: Kendall Kehres earned the win in the circle for Wheaton in game two today.

Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder softball team split a doubleheader with Saint Mary's College (Ind.) on Friday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. Saint Mary's scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to win the opener 4-2. Wheaton held off the Belles in game two as the Thunder won 8-6 in the second game. The nightcap was called due to darkness with one out in the top of the seventh inning.

Wheaton won tonight's second game 8-6. The Thunder scored eight runs, on eight hits, committing five errors and the Belles scored six runs, on nine hits with four errors. Thunder starting pitcher Kendall Kehres (4-6) earned the win in 6-1/3 innings. Kehres allowed six unearned runs on nine hits, with two strikeouts and one walk.

Kelly Thornton was 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a double. She drove in three runs with one run scored. Megan Neuhaus (PICTURED LEFT) was 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored.

Saint Mary's scored two runs in the top of the first inning to gain an early 2-0 lead. Wheaton countered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-2 lead. Neuhaus hit a two-run single in the first to tie the game at 2-2 and Julia Arthur hit a RBI-single through the right side of the infield to give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

Wheaton added three more runs in the bottom of the second inning to increase its lead to 6-2. Thornton hit a double to right centerfield with the bases loaded to drive in three runs in the inning.

The Belles scored three unearned runs in the top of the third inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 6-5. Wheaton added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning to extend its lead to 8-5. Hannah Clark drew a bases loaded walk in the in the third to bring a run home and a sacrifice fly by Sage Miller brought Lauren Meurer home.

The Belles scored on a Wheaton error in the top of the seventh inning with one out. Following the play, the umpires called the game due to darkness halting the game at that point in the contest.

Saint Mary's topped the Thunder 4-2 in the first game today. The Belles scored four runs, on seven hits, with one error and Wheaton tallied two runs on five hits, with two errors. Thunder starting pitcher Jaclyn McLean pitched six innings. She allowed two runs, including one earned run, on five hits with one strikeout. Abby Butler worked 1-1/3 innings of relief (0-1). She allowed two earned runs, on one hit, with one walk and one strikeout.

Kehres pitched 2/3 of an inning in relief. She held the Belles scoreless, with one hit. Neuhaus was 2-for-3 at the plate in the game. Sage Miller hit a double, Thornton added a triple and Clark had a stolen base in the game.

Each team scored one run in their portion of the first inning. Wheaton's run in the bottom of the first came on a RBI-single by Jaclyn McLean. The Belles scored a run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Sophie Kent led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk for the Thunder and she scored three batters later on a well-hit triple to rightfield by Thornton (PICTURED RIGHT) to tie the game at 2-2.

The Belles scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to gain the 4-2 lead that was become the final score.
 
Wheaton will travel to Calvin College on March 28 for a doubleheader with the Knights. The twinbill will begin at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.