Chicago, Ill. – The Thunder softball team (8-5, 5-2 CCIW) traveled to North Park for a conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The Vikings (10-3, 4-3 CCIW) rallied to win today's first game 4-3 in eight innings. Game two was halted due to weather with one out in the top of the fourth inning with the score tied at 6-6.
The Vikings won the opener 4-3 as the hosts scored four runs, on eight hits, with two errors and the Thunder had three runs, on five hits, with one error. Thunder starting pitcher
Emilie Gist tossed 7-1/3 innings for the guests. She allowed four earned runs, on eight hits, with 10 strikeouts.
Ashley Carter was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk and she scored two runs.
Alex Hilton, Gist,
Melissa Meiners and
Paige Andrews each added doubles for the guests. Hilton, Gist and Meiners each drove in one run for the Thunder.
Wheaton took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Carter led off the game with a double and she scored on an error in the next at bat. Meiners hit a RBI-single later in the inning that brought Hilton across the plate to give Wheaton a 2-0 lead. Carter drew a two-out walk in the in the top of the second inning and scored two batters later on a RBI-single by Gist to give the Thunder a 3-0 lead.
The Vikings scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the contest at 3-3. The score remained tied at 3-3 through seven innings. North Park's Emily Reczek hit a double in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in the game-winning run.
The second game was halted due to weather in the top of the fourth inning with one out, the bases loaded the score tied at 6-6. The date to resume the game is yet to be determined.
Carter started the game for the Thunder and allowed five runs, including four earned runs in 2-1/3 innings. She scattered seven hits with two strikeouts.
Alese Antonello pitched one inning of relief and allowed one run, on two hits.
Carter is 2-for-3 with double and a run scored
Claire Busch hit a double and has driven in three runs and scored twice.
North Park scored twice in the top of the first inning and Wheaton crossed the plate four times in the bottom of the first. The Vikings regained the lead with three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 5-4 lead. Wheaton then scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to take a 6-5 advantage
Paige Andrews hit a RBI double in the inning and
Sydney Heinrich drove in a run with a RBI-single.
North Park scored one run in the fourth and the bases were loaded with one out when the game was called due to the cold weather.
Wheaton returns to action tomorrow afternoon with a CCIW doubleheader at Ruth Leedy Field against North Central. The twinbill against the Cardinals is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.
