Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team closed out the 2022 season on Friday with a CCIW doubleheader against Augustana (18-15, 4-10 CCIW) at Ruth Leedy Field. The Thunder swept the twinbill with the Vikings on "Senior Day" for the hosts. Wheaton rallied for a 4-3 victory with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in a walk-off win. The Thunder achieved the sweep with a 12-3 victory in the nightcap. Wheaton closes out 2022 with a 19-19 overall record and a 5-11 CCIW record.
PICTURED LEFT: Wheaton honored its five seniors during today's doubleheader, from left to right: Estelle Rios, Sydney Heinrich, Juk Oh, Claire Busch and Ashley Carter.
The Thunder won game one with four runs, on 12 hits, with two errors and Augustana scored three runs, with six hits, and one error. Thunder starting pitcher Emily Gist (10-7) earned the win in seven innings as she allowed three runs, on six hits, with two walks and five strikeouts.
Paige Andrews was 3-for-4, with a double, one RBI and a run scored for Wheaton.
Olivia Nahorniak was 3-for-4 with the game-winning RBI to end the game.
Madison Forberg was 2-for-3, with two runs scored.
Augustana gained an early 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Wheaton tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Wheaton's first run of the game was on an RBI-double down the leftfield line for Andrews that drove in
Madison Forberg.
The Vikings took a 3-1 lead with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Wheaton came up with three unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the game.
Elizabeth Meyer drove in Wheaton's first run on an RBI-single. Gist hit an RBI-single through the middle of the infield to tie the game at 3-3. Nahorniak hit a long fly ball that landed in right centerfield for a single and drove in Meyer for the game-winning run.
The Thunder won the second game 12-3 as the hosts scored 12 runs, on 12 hits, with no errors and Augustana tallied three runs, on six hits, with seven errors. Thunder starting pitcher
Alese Antonello worked 3-2/3 innings, as she allowed three runs, on four hits, with five walks and two strikeouts. Gist (11-7) pitched 3-1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Gist scattered two hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.
Senior
Ashley Carter was 4-for-5 in her final game. Carter hit three doubles, with four runs scored and three RBI. In hitting three doubles in the nightcap, Carter moved into seventh place on Wheaton's career doubles list with 32.
Augustana scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. The Thunder scored five runs in the top of the second to gain a 5-2 advantage.
Sydney Heinrich belted a two-run single in the inning and Carter added an RBI-single.
The Thunder scored a run in the top of the fourth inning to extend the hosts' lead to 6-2. Carter led off the fourth with a double and scored two batters later when Nahorniak drove her in. The Vikings scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut Wheaton's lead to 6-3.
The hosts broke the game open in the top of the sixth inning with four runs. Carter,
Claire Busch and
Elise O'Neil each hit an RBI-double in the sixth for Wheaton. The Thunder added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning to account for the 12-3 final score. Carter hit her third double of the game to drive in one of Wheaton's two runs.
