Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder softball team hosted Eureka College on Wednesday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. Wheaton swept the Red Devils in the doubleheader with a 10-9 victory in game one and the Thunder earned a 15-1 win in the second game.
Wheaton won today's first game 10-9 as the Thunder scored 10 runs, on 12 hits, with four errors and Eureka scored nine runs, on 13 hits, committing five errors. Relief pitcher
Kennedy Kemp earned the win in the circle for the Thunder as she pitched 6-1/3 innings. Kemp allowed two unearned runs, scattering six hits, with three strikeouts and one walk.
Abby Whitehead was 3-for-4, scoring twice.
Paige Andrews and
Livi Figueroa were each 2-for-4, with a RBI and a run scored. Figueroa and
Cate Welch each hit a double and
Abie Brown hit a home run for Wheaton's extra base hits in the game.
Eureka scored seven runs in the top of the first inning to take an early 7-0 lead. Wheaton's first run came in the bottom of the third inning on a RBI-double by Figueroa. The Red Devils added an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning. Wheaton added three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the guests' lead to 8-4. Brown started the scoring in the inning with a two-out solo home run over the fence in leftfield. Welch drove in a run with a double and Andrews hit a RBI-single.
Kemp hit a RBI-single to centerfield in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim Eureka's lead to 8-5. Wheaton scored three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by an
Olivia Nahorniak RBI-single. The three-run sixth tied the game at 8-8.
The Red Devils regained the lead with a run in the top of the seventh inning to give the guests a 9-8 lead. Whitehead led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single and she scored when Andrews had a sacrifice bunt, and she crossed the plate on a Eureka throwing error. Kemp hit a sacrifice fly to leftfield that drove in
Shylah Dozeman for the game-winning run.
Wheaton won the second game 15-1 in five innings, highlighted by a nine-run third inning for the hosts. The Thunder scored 15 runs, on 11 hits, with one error and Eureka had one run, on two hits, with four errors. Dozeman earned the win, pitching five innings. She allowed one earned run, on two hits, with nine strikeouts and one walk.
Figueroa was 3-for-3, scoring three runs, with two RBI. Brown was 2-for-2, with a run driven in, hitting a double. Whitehead was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI.
Olivia Nahorniak was 1-for-2, with a double as she drove in three runs, scoring twice.
Isabel Hillyer was 1-for-1, driving in four runs.
Wheaton scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Hillyer hit a two-run single to right to give the hosts the lead.
Eureka scored a run in the top of the third inning to trim Wheaton's lead to 2-1. The Thunder scored nine runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a commanding 11-1 lead. The big inning was highlighted by a three-run single from Hillyer and a two-run single for Figueroa. Brown added a RBI-double and Dozeman hit a RBI-single.
Wheaton scored four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Whitehead drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Hillyer drove a bases loaded walk.
Wheaton returns to conference play on Friday a doubleheader at Illinois Wesleyan. The Thunder hosts Mount Mary on Saturday as Wheaton celebrates Senior Day, honoring the team's seniors prior to game one of the doubleheader.
