Elmhurst, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team earned its second-consecutive CCIW sweep on Tuesday with a pair of conference wins in a doubleheader at Elmhurst University (7-7, 5-3 CCIW). The Thunder won the first game 17-1 in five innings. Wheaton rallied for a 4-3 victory in the second game as the contest was called at the end of the fifth inning due to darkness. Wheaton (8-5, 5-1 CCIW) returns to action on Thursday with a CCIW doubleheader at North Park.
Wheaton won the opener 17-1 as the Thunder scored 17 runs, on 16 hits, with no errors and the Bluejays tallied one run, on one hit, with five errors.
Emilie Gist was the starting pitcher for the Thunder. In two innings of work, she allowed one run, on one hit with two strikeouts and one walk.
Alese Antonello earned her first collegiate win in three innings of relief.
Antonello held the Bluejays scoreless and hitless, with one strikeout.
Alex Hilton was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs.
Melissa Meiners was 3-for-4 with one run and a RBI.
Madison Forberg was 2-for-3, scoring twice.
Ashley Carter was 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBI.
Emilie Gist had a 2-for-4 effort in the game, with three RBI.
Wheaton took an early 5-0 lead with five runs in the top of the first inning. The inning was highlighted by RBI singles for Meiners, Forberg and
Sydney Heinrich.
The Thunder broke the game open in the top of the third inning with 12 runs. Carter hit a three-run triple and Gist belted a two run double in the inning. Hilton and
Paige Andrews each hit two run singles the help Wheaton to its huge inning.
The Thunder won the second game 4-3 as Wheaton plated four runs, on 10 hits, with one error and Elmhurst scored three runs, on five hits with two errors.
Ashley Carter started the game in the circle for the Thunder as she worked 4-1/3 innings. Carter allowed two runs, with no earned runs, on four hits, with four strikeouts. Gist (5-2) earned the win in 2/3 of an inning of relief. She allowed one run, on one hit.
Andrews was 2-for-3 with the game-winning two run single in the fifth inning. Meiners and Carter were each 2-for-3 in the victory.
The Thunder scored twice in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
Claire Busch hit a RBI-double to leftfield in the opening inning. Elmhurst tallied a run in the top of the second inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 2-1.
The Bluejays scored twice in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead on the Thunder. Wheaton rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to earn the victory. Gist hit a one-out single and was replaced by pinch runner
Sydney Broderick. Busch hit a single to right centerfield that advanced Broderick to second base. Meiners hit an infield single that loaded the bases and brought Andrews to the plate. Andrews hit a single up the middle that brought Broderick and Busch home for the 4-3 Thunder win as the game was called due to darkness following the game-winning run.
