Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder softball team hosted Augustana College (21-11, 9-3 CCIW) on Saturday afternoon for a key CCIW doubleheader at Ruth Leedy Field. The Vikings win a tightly contested matchup in the opener, 4-0 as the guests scored the runs in the top of the seventh inning. Augustana won the second game 9-0.
Wheaton (16-18, 5-9 CCIW) wraps up its regular season schedule on Friday afternoon for a doubleheader against conference-leading Illinois Wesleyan that begins at 1:00 p.m. The twinbill against the Titans will be "Senior Day" for the five seniors on the Thunder softball team with a pregame ceremony to honor the quintet.
Augustana earned a 4-0 victory in the opener today as the Vikings scored four runs, on 10 hits, with one run, on one error. The Thunder had zero runs, on two hits, with no errors.
Freshman starting pitcher
Shylah Dozeman worked 5-1/3 innings, allowing one run, on four hits, with two strikeouts and one walk.
Alese Antonello pitched 1-2/3 innings of relief, as she allowed three runs, on six hits, with two strikeouts, and one walk.
Livi Figueroa collected the game's first hit when she belted a leadoff double to the fence in leftfield in the bottom of the third inning. However, Wheaton was unable to drive in the go-ahead run.
Augustana collected its first hit with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Vikings scored the first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning. The guests added three more runs in the top of the seventh. Antonello hit a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, however, the hosts were unable to put a run on the scoreboard as the Vikings secured the 4-0 victory.
Augustana won the second game, 5-0 in five innings. The Vikings scored nine runs, on 11 hits, with no errors. The Thunder had zero runs, on one hit, with no errors. Dozeman started the nightcap, allowing five runs, on four hits. Antonello pitched 4-1/3 innings of relief as she allowed four runs, on seven hits, with three strikeouts and three walks.
Thunder catcher
Madison Forberg hit a single to rightfield to lead off the game. Wheaton was unable to drive in Forberg in the top of the first. The Vikings struck early with six runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Augustana extended the lead to 7-0 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The guests scored two runs on a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to account for 9-0 final score.
