Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader at Blackburn College on Saturday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. Wheaton won the first game 10-8, and the Thunder rallied to win the second game 12-10 with a walk-off home run. Wheaton improves to 7-5 overall and Blackburn is now 8-8.

Wheaton defeated the Beavers 10-8 in the first game as the Thunder scored 10 runs, on 10 hits, with two errors and Blackburn scored eight runs, on 11 hits, with two errors. Thunder pitcher Dillon Watson earned the win in three innings of relief as she allowed two earned runs, on four hits, with three strikeouts and one walk.

Abby Whitehead was 3-for-4 in the opener, with a double and a home run as she scored three runs and drove in two. Mia Reinhard was 2-for-3 with a home run as she drove in three runs and scored three times. Ava Hartnett was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Blackburn scored twice in the top of the second inning to start the scoring in the game. Reinhard hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give Wheaton a 3-2 lead. The Beavers tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the top of the third inning and the guests gained a 4-3 lead with a run in the top of the fourth. Amaya Daniels hit a RBI-single down the rightfield line in the bottom of the fourth to knot things up at 4-4.

Each team scored twice in their respective half of the fifth inning for a 6-6 tie through five innings. Wheaton's highlight in the bottom of the fifth inning was a RBI-triple by Bella Giles that drove in Reinhard.

Blackburn scored once in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead. Wheaton gained the lead for good with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 10-7. Whitehead belted a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the hosts up 8-7. Wheaton added two unearned runs later in the inning for a 10-7 lead. Blackburn scored once in the top of the seventh to account for the 10-8 final score.

Wheaton rallied to win today's second game, 12-10. The Thunder scored 12 runs, on 16 hits, with three errors and Blackburn scored 10 runs, on 14 hits, with two errors. Pitcher Shylah Dozeman earned the win in 3-2/3 innings of relief as she allowed one earned run, on four hits, with four strikeouts and no walks.

Reinhard was 3-for-4 with three doubles in the second game. Whitehead was 2-for-4 with the game-winning home run as she scored three times and drove in two runs. Bella Giles was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Nori Kang was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI. Hartnett was 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and a RBI. Madeline Hillyer was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Blackburn scored twice in the top of the first inning to lead 2-0 through the first inning of the nightcap. Wheaton responded with three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-2 lead. Giles started the scoring with a RBI-double, while Hillyer and Soleil Weaver each contributed a RBI-single. The Beavers countered with three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 5-3 lead. Giles and Hillyer each collected a RBI-single for the Thunder in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 5-5.

The Beavers responded with four runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 9-5 lead. Wheaton countered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 9-9. Reinhard started Wheaton's scoring in the fifth with a RBI double. Two runs scored because of a RBI-single by Livi Figueroa and Hartnett added a RBI-single that tied the game at 9-9.

Blackburn scored once in the top of the seventh inning to take a 10-9 lead. Hartnett hit a one-out double for the Thunder in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kang followed with a RBI-single to right centerfield that brought Hartnett home. Whitehead followed Kang's at bat, and she sent the first pitch she saw well over the centerfield fence with two-run home run that secured the 12-10 win for the hosts.

Wheaton remains home for its next contest as the Thunder host Maranatha Baptist on Monday at 3 PM.