GAME STATS 1 | GAME STATS 2 Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team hosted Elmhurst University for a CCIW doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. The Bluejays won today's first game 8-3 and Wheaton won the finale 5-2. Wheaton travels to Milwaukee on Monday afternoon for a non-conference doubleheader at Wisconsin Lutheran.

Wheaton closed today's twinbill with a 5-2 victory. The Thunder scored five runs, on four hits, with five errors. Elmhurst plated two runs, on six hits, with zero errors. Thunder starting pitcher Shylah Dozeman (4-3) earned the complete game win in seven innings of work. She allowed two runs, including one earned run, on six hits. Dozeman struck out eight batters and she did not allow a walk.

Cate Welch hit a home run for the Thunder as she drove in two runs and scored once. Dozeman, Abby Whitehead and Isabel Hillyer each contributed singles for the hosts. Whitehead drove in two runs.
Wheaton gained an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Whitehead drew a walk with two outs and in the next at bat, Welch blasted a home run over the fence in right centerfield. Elmhurst scored a run in the bottom of the second inning to trim the Thunder lead to 2-1.

Wheaton scored three runs in the top of the third inning to extend its lead to 5-1. Hillyer led off the top of the third inning with a single, she then stole second base and Olivia Nahorniak drew a walk to put runners at first and third with no outs. Abie Brown put down a bunt that was fielded by Elmhurst, but the Bluejays could not tag Hillyer who slid into the plate under the tag to give the Thunder a 3-1 lead as Brown reached on the fielder's choice and Nahorniak advanced to third base. Brown stole second base two put runners at second and third. Whitehead hit a single up the middle of the infield to drive in Nahorniak and Brown to increase the Thunder lead to 5-1. Elmhurst scored a run in the bottom of the third inning to put Wheaton's lead at 5-2. Dozeman excelled as the game finished up as six of her eight strikeouts came on the final three innings to secure the win for the Thunder.

Elmhurst won the opening game today, 8-3. The Bluejays scored eight runs, on 11 hits, with zero errors and Wheaton plated three runs, on eight hits, with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Kennedy Kemp pitched four innings, allowing seven runs, including four earned runs, on nine hits, with one walk. Rylinn MacDonald pitched three innings of relief as she allowed one run, on two hits, with four walks.
Brown was 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Thunder. Nahorniak hit a double for the hosts and Whitehead, Kemp, MacDonald, Livi Figueroa and Soleil Weaver each added a single.

Elmhurst scored a run in the top of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. The Bluejays scored three runs in the top of the third inning to extend their lead to 4-0. Elmhurst scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to increase their lead to 7-0. Wheaton put two runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning to trim Elmhurst's lead to 7-2. Soleil Weaver hit a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Elmhurst added a run in the top of the sixth inning to take an 8-2 lead. Brown hit a RBI-single for the Thunder in the bottom of the seventh inning to account for the 8-3 final score.