PICTURED ABOVE: Megan Neuhaus was 2-for-3 in Thursday's second game and she scored one run.
Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team hosted North Central College for a CCIW doubleheader on Thursday afternoon under windy and sunny conditions at Ruth Leedy Field. North Central defeated Wheaton 9-1 in the opener and the Cardinals earned the sweep with a 5-4 victory against the Thunder in game two.
North Central earned the 9-1 victory in the first game as the guests scored nine runs, on 10 hits, with two errors and Wheaton registered one run, on three hits with one error. Thunder starting pitcher
Kendall Kehres took the loss in 5-1/3 innings. The junior allowed nine runs, including eight earned runs, on nine hits and three walks.
Abby Butler pitched 2/3 of an inning of relief. Butler allowed no runs, on one hit.
Sage Miller hit a single as
Kelly Thornton and
Morgan Ryan added doubles to account for Wheaton's three hits in the game.
North Central scored twice in the top of the first inning to take the early lead. Thornton hit a two-out double in the bottom of the first inning and scored later in the inning on a wild pitch. North Central increased its lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the second inning and the Cardinals broke the game open with six runs in the top of the sixth inning to account for the 9-1 victory.
North Central won today's finale 5-4. The Cardinals scored five runs, on 14 hits, with one error and Wheaton tallied four runs, on five hits, committing one error. Thunder starting pitcher
Jaclyn McLean took the loss in six innings. She allowed 14 hits and five runs, including four earned runs. Neuhaus was 2-for-3, with a run scored.
Hannah Clark, Miller and McLean also collected hits for the hosts. McLean hit a home run for the Thunder and Neuhaus belted a double.
North Central scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to take the early 1-0 lead. Wheaton gained a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning.
Julia Arthur was hit by a pitch with two outs in the third inning and she advanced to third base on a double by Neuhaus.
Hannah Clark's single to left field drove Arthur and Neuhaus home for Wheaton's 2-1 lead. North Central scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to gain a 3-2 lead against the Thunder.
The Cardinals scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored once in the bottom of the fifth to increase the guests' lead to 5-2. McLean Belted a two-run home run over the fence in right field in the bottom of the seventh inning to trim the NCC lead to 5-4, but the Cardinals closed the game out for the win.
Wheaton travels to Augustana on Saturday for a CCIW doubleheader with the Vikings.
