Waukesha, Wis. – The Wheaton softball team played their twice-rescheduled CCIW doubleheader against Carroll on Wednesday afternoon in Wisconsin as Wheaton swept the Pioneers with a pair of seventh-inning victories. The Thunder fought to earn a 2-0 victory in the opening game as Wheaton scored its two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Wheaton snapped a 3-3 tie in game two by scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Thunder completed the sweep with a 4-3 victory.

The Thunder won today's first game 2-0 as the guests scored two runs, on two hits, with one error, and the Pioneers had zero runs, on three hits, with two errors. Freshman starting pitcher Kennedy Kemp earned the win in a seven-inning complete game effort. Kemp did not allow a run as she scattered three hits, with two strikeouts and three walks.
Seniors Olivia Nahorniak and Abie Brown each hit singles for the guests' offense in the opener. Gracey Rockness scored the game-winning run and Paige Andrews scored an insurance run in the seventh. Soliel Weaver drove in a run.

Kemp allowed a single in the first inning and another in the second. She held the Pioneers hitless for each of the next three innings. Carroll mustered a third hit in the sixth inning but again could not score.
Wheaton's Cate Welch was the first batter in the top of the seventh inning. She was hit by a pitch and Rockness entered the game as a pinch runner at first base, replacing welch. Two batters later, Andrews stepped up to the plate with one out and she reached on a Carroll error. Rockness scampered home on the error to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead, and Andrews advanced to third base. Livi Figueroa was hit by a pitch  and Kemp drew a walk to load the bases. Weaver followed with a bases loaded walk that brought Andrews home for the second Wheaton run.

Kemp's strong outing continued in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Pioneers with three-up-and-three-down with three straight infield groundouts to end the game.

Wheaton won the second game 4-3 as the Thunder scored four runs, on seven hits, with one error, and Carroll plated three runs, on six hits, with two errors. Starting pitcher Shylah Dozeman worked two innings, allowing two earned runs, on four hits, with one strikeout. Rylinn MacDonald earned the victory in five innings of relief. She allowed one earned run, on two hits.

Abby Whitehead hit a home run, marking the third-consecutive Thunder doubleheader with a round tripper for the sophomore. She drove in three runs for the Thunder in the victory. Victoria Barbar, Kemp, Figueroa, Brown, Welch and Nahorniak each added singles in the second game.

Carroll scored twice in the top of the first inning, however, Wheaton responded with a run in the bottom of the first. Nahorniak led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle. Three batters later, Whitehead hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that drove in Nahorniak to cut the hosts' lead to 2-1.

The Pioneers extended their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third inning. Welch led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to leftfield and Whitehead followed with a two-run home run over the leftfield fence in the next at bat to tie the game at 3-3. MacDonald held the Pioneers hitless in the sixth and seventh innings.

Barbar led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to leftfield for the Thunder. Isabel Hillyer replaced Barbar as a pinch runner at first base. Hillyer stole both second base and third base during Nahorniak's at bat. Nahorniak drew a walk and advanced to second base on catchers' indifference. Welch came up to the plate with one out and a Carroll fielding error allowed Hillyer to score the game-winning run for the Thunder.

Wheaton remains in conference play tomorrow afternoon for its return to Ruth Leedy Field. Wheaton hosts North Central for a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader in the final home games of the 2025 schedule for the Thunder.