PICTURED ABOVE: Kendall Kehres pitched all nine innings in Wheaton's victory in the second game.

Waukesha, Wis. – The Wheaton Thunder softball team split a CCIW doubleheader at Carroll University on Tuesday afternoon. The Pioneers won the first game 11-1 and the Thunder closed out the twinbill with a 6-3 victory in nine innings.

Wheaton rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the 6-3 victory. The Thunder scored six runs, on seven hits with zero errors and Carroll tallied three runs, on six hits, with three errors. Starting pitcher Kendall Kehres worked all nine innings to pick up the victory in the circle. Kehres allowed three runs, on six hits, with three strikeouts and two walks. Wheaton's seven hits in the game were spread across six players. Kelly Thornton was 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. Thornton hit a home run in the game and Julia Arthur added a double.

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Megan Neuhaus drew a one-out walk and scored two batters later on a RBI-single Melody Rodriguez. The Thunder lead increased to 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning as Arthur led off the inning with a double and scored when Neuhaus drove her in.

Wheaton extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning as Thornton (PICTURED LEFT) hit a one-out single and she scored three batters later on a two-out RBI single by Lauren Meurer. Carroll tallied three runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the matchup at 3-3.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Pioneers committed back-to-back errors with one out and then forced Wheaton into its second out of the inning. Thornton stepped up to the plate with runners at second and third and she blasted a game-winning three-run home run to give the Thunder a 6-3 walk-off victory.

Carroll picked up the 11-1 victory in today's first game. The Pioneers scored 11 runs, on 13 hits, with one error and Wheaton tallied one run, on two hits, with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Jaclyn McLean took the loss in four innings. McLean allowed 11 runs, including 10 earned runs, on 13 hits, with two strikeouts and no walks. Singles by Rodriguez and Meurer accounted for Wheaton's two hits in the game.

Wheaton returns home on Thursday for a CCIW doubleheader at home against North Central. Thursday first game will start at 3:00 p.m. on Ruth Leedy Field.