GAME STATS 1 | GAME STATS 2 Melbourne, Fla. – The Wheaton softball team concluded its eight-game trip to Florida on Thursday afternoon with matchups against Fitchburg State and Lakeland. The Thunder won today's first game, a 5-4 come-from-behind win against Fitchburg State. Lakeland defeated the Thunder 19-2 in today's second game.

Thunder freshman pitcher Dillon Watson earned the win in the circle in today's 5-4 victory against Fitchburg State. Watson pitched 6-1/3 innings of relief as she struck out seven batters, walked two and allowed two earned runs.  Infielder Bella Giles was 2-for-4, including a double as she scored once and drove in one run. Livi Figueroa was 1-for-1 with a triple as she drove in two runs. Nori Kang contributed a double and Soleil Weaver hit a triple.

Fitchburg State scored twice in the bottom of the first inning and added a run in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 lead. Wheaton scored its first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning when Makena Malecha scored on a wild pitch. Weaver, a pinch hitter, led off the top of the sixth inning with a triple to centerfield and she scored on the next at bat as Giles laced a double down the rightfield line.

Wheaton scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the 5-3 lead. Freshman Ava Harnett manufactured a run as the Thunder leadoff hitter. She drew a walk and during Abby Whitehead's at bat that followed, Hartnett stole second base and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Whitehead drove in Harnett with a sacrifice fly tie the game at 3-3. Figueroa hit a triple to centerfield that drove in two runs to give Wheaton its first lead at 5-3. Fitchburg State scored one run to trim the Thunder lead to 5-4, however the Thunder held on for the win.

Lakeland topped Wheaton 19-2 in the final game of the week for the Thunder. Five Thunder errors plagued Wheaton against the Muskies as only four of Lakeland's 19 runs were earned.

Whitehead drove in both of Wheaton's runs in the game as she hit a home run. Nori Kang was 1-for-1, drew a walk and scored a run.
Wheaton travels to Eureka next Thursday. Wheaton's first home contests of the 2026 season are scheduled for next Saturday as the Thunder host Blackburn in a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.