Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton Thunder softball team hosted Mount Mary University on Saturday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. The Thunder swept the Blue Angels as Wheaton won the opener 9-1 in five innings, and the hosts closed out the twinbill with a 15-5 victory in the second game. Prior to the start of game one, the Thunder softball program honored its seniors for "Senior Day".

The Thunder won the first game today, 9-1 in five innings. Wheaton scored nine runs, on nine hits, with two errors and Mount Mary scored one run, on five hits, committing four errors. Thunder starting pitcher Iris Jones pitched 1-2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run, with two hits, striking out two, with one walk allowed. Rylinn MacDonald pitched 2-/3 of an inning of scoreless relief, scattering three hits. Shylah Dozeman earned the victory in 2-2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Dozeman dazzled as she struck out all eight batters that she faced.

Paige Andrews was 2-for-2 with one walk and a run scored. Designated hitter Cate Welch was 2-for-3, including a three-run home run to end the game. Abby Whitehead was 1-for-1 with a pinch-hit grand slam to her credit. Olivia Nahorniak hit a double, while Gracey Rockness, Soleil Weaver and Victoria Barbar each added a single.

Pinch runner Mia Reinhard scored on a Mount Mary error in the bottom of the first inning to give Wheaton a 1-0 lead. The Blue Angels scored an unearned run in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. Dozeman struck out eight batters to keep the guests off of the basepaths.

Wheaton's big inning came in the bottom of the fifth as the Thunder scored eight runs in the inning. Andrews scored Wheaton's first run in the inning as she crossed the plate on a Mount Mary error to give the Thunder a 2-1 lead. Whitehead stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and she blasted the ball over the leftfield fence with a grand slam that gave the hosts a 6-1 lead. Welch came up the plate three batters later and followed with a three-run home run that gave Wheaton a 9-1 lead and the eight-run lead needed to secure the victory via the run-rule.

The hosts won the second game 15-5 as the Thunder scored 15 runs, on 18 hits, with one error and the Blue Angels scored five runs, on seven hits, committing three errors. Wheaton starting pitcher Kennedy Kemp pitched 3-1/3 innings as she allowed five runs, including three earned runs, on six hits, with two strikeouts and zero walks. Dozeman (7-6) earned her second victory of the day in 2-2/3 innings scoreless relief. She allowed just one hit and struck out seven batters with no walks allowed.

Whitehead was 4-for-4, with five RBI and three runs scored. She hit two doubles and hit her second grand slam of the day, this time a walk-off slam to end the game. Welch continued her strong effort at the plate as she was 3-for-4 with two doubles as she scored three runs and drove in three runs. Dozeman was 2-for-3 with a double as she scored three runs and drove in one run. Nahorniak was 3-for-5, with a double as she scored three runs. Livi Figueroa was 2-for-3, with three RBI and one run scored. Bottom of the first inning

Wheaton scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead. Whitehead hit a RBI-double, Figueroa added a RBI-single and Andrews drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Welch hit a RBI-single in the bottom of the second inning to increase Wheaton's lead to 4-0.

The Blue Angels added a run the top of the first inning to trim Wheaton's lead to 4-1. Mount Marry scored four more times in the top of the fourth inning to give the guests a 5-4 lead. Abigail Latka hit a sacrifice fly in bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 5-5.

The Thunder broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Dozeman, Welch and Whitehead each hit a RBI-double in consecutive at bats for Wheaton's first three runs in the inning. Figuroa, Reinhard and Kemp each added a RBI-single in the inning to account for Wheaton's six-run inning.

Nahorniak and Dozeman hit back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the sixth inning for the Thunder. Welch drew a walk to load the bases. Whitehead followed with another blast over the leftfield fence for her second grand slam of the game, this time ending the game in a 15-5 Wheaton victory.

The Thunder resume conference play on Monday with a CCIW doubleheader at Carroll. The matchup against the Pioneers is rescheduled from its original date on April 1 when cold weather forced a postponement.