Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team hosted North Central (6-13, 4-4 CCIW) on Thursday for a CCIW doubleheader at Ruth Leedy Field. The Thunder won the first game 8-1 and the Cardinals picked up the win in the nightcap, 6-1. Wheaton is now 6-13 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
 
The Thunder won game one 8-1 as the hosts scored eight runs, on 12 hits, with no errors and the Cardinals tallied one run, on five hits, with three errors. Thunder starting pitcher Paige Andrews had an outstanding effort in the circle as she earned the win in seven innings. Andrews allowed one earned run, on five hits, with three walks and one strikeout.
 
Freshman infielder Kylie Chetakian (PICTURED LEFT) was 3-for-4, with a triple as she scored twice and drove in one run. Andrews helped herself at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort as she scored twice and drove in one run. Alese Antonello was 2-for-4, with a RBI in the opener.

Wheaton scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Antonello hit a RBI-single that drove in sophomore Abie Brown. The Cardinals scored a run in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1. Wheaton scored three times in the third to regain the lead with a 4-1 edge. The Thunder runs in the third were off RBI-singles by Elizabeth Meyer, Elise O'Neil and Madison Forberg.

The Thunder added two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend the hosts' lead to 6-1. Chetakian hit a RBI-single in the inning and Meyer also drove in a run. Andrews hit a RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth to increase Wheaton's lead to 7-1. Wheaton's final run in the game came off a RBI-single by Isabel Hillyer in the bottom of the sixth inning to account for the 8-1 final score.

North Central won the second game today, 6-1 as the Cardinals scored six runs, on seven hits, with one run and Wheaton tallied one run, on six hits, with two errors. Alese Antonello pitched six innings for the Thunder as she allowed six runs, including three earned runs, on seven hits, with three strikeouts. O'Neil was 2-for-3 at the plate in the contest.

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning as Brown hit a RBI-single to drive in a run. The Cardinals scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the contest at 1-1. NCC added three runs in the bottom of the fifth to gain a 4-1 lead. The Cardinals added two additional runs in the bottom of the sixth to account for the 6-1 final score.  

The Thunder travel to Bloomington, Illinois on Saturday for a CCIW doubleheader at Illinois Wesleyan.