Rockford, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team returned to action on Wednesday with a non-conference doubleheader at Rockford University. The Regents won the first game 6-0, and the Thunder won the nightcap 3-2 in eight innings. Wheaton's record is now 6-10 having won five of its last six games, while Rockford is 10-4 on the year.

The Thunder won the final game of today's twinbill, 3-2. Wheaton scored three runs on seven hits, committing one error, and Rockford scored two runs, on six hits, with no errors. The visitors did not give up any extra-base hits this afternoon and the Regents stole no bases, while the Thunder posted two doubles and took one bag. Wheaton left six runners on base across the eight innings and stranded nine Rockford players in return.

Kennedy Kemp (pictured right) earned her first collegiate win in the circle by pitching the last six innings of game two. The rookie gave up only three hits and one earned run from 24 batters faced 
and added a pair of strikeouts in a solid showing. Victoria Barbar started the game for the Thunder and did not surrender any runs through the first two frames.

Paige Andrews and Mia Reinhard each led the team with two hits and one RBI in the second matchup this evening, and Reinhard also stole the only base for either side. Abie Brown and Olivia Nahorniak both posted one hit with Brown scoring the winning run, while Livi Figueroa chipped in with an RBI. Isabel Hillyer also scored a run, and Kemp contributed on the offensive end, as well, tallying Wheaton's opening run and getting one hit.

Wheaton scored its first run in the top of the second inning to gain the early 1-0 lead. Mia Reinhard drove in the game's first run with a RBI-single that scored Kennedy Kemp, who drew a one-out walk earlier in the inning. The Regents scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Paige Andrews led off the top of the fourth inning with a double to center field and was replaced by pinch runner Isabel Hillyer. Hillyer scored two batters later on a RBI-groundout by Livi Figueroa. Hillyer's run tied the game at 2-2. The score remained tied after seven innings to send the contest into extra innings.

Abie Brown led off the eighth with a double to left centerfield, and she scored two batters later when Andrews hit a RBI-single to centerfield. Kemp closed out her relief appearance by stranding the game-tying run at third base when she induced a pop-up back to herself for the final out of the nightcap.

In today's first game, Rockford defeated the Thunder 6-0 as the hosts scored six runs, on seven hits, with no errors and Wheaton tallied zero runs, on two hits, with two errors. Thunder starting pitcher Iris Jones allowed four runs, with one earned run, on five hits in 3-2/3 innings of work. Shylah Dozeman pitched 2-1/3 innings of relief as she allowed two runs, on two hits, with a strikeout. Singles by Olivia Nahorniak and Abie Brown accounted for Wheaton's two hits in the contest.

Rockford scored one run in the bottom of the first inning and added another in the bottom of the second to take the early 2-0 lead. The hosts scored two runs apiece in the bottom of the fourth and the bottom of the fifth inning, respectively, to account for the 6-0 final score.

After picking up their first road win of the campaign, the Thunder will return to campus for their next doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Wheaton hosts The University of Olivet for two games beginning at 1 PM at Ruth Leedy Field.