Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton softball team extended its win streak to six games on Monday with a pair of wins in five innings in a doubleheader sweep against Maranatha Baptist University. The Thunder won the first game 25-0 for Wheaton's largest margin of victory since 2010. The Thunder completed the sweep with a 17-1 victory in game two.
Wheaton won today's opener 25-0 as the Thunder scored 25 runs, on seven hits and zero errors. The Sabrecats scored zero runs, on one hit, with one error. Sophomore starting pitcher
Kennedy Kemp won the game as she allowed one hit in three innings with five strikeouts.
Iris Jones pitched two innings of relief, with no hits allowed, striking out two with two walks.
The Wheaton offense used an acute eye at the plate today, drawing 21 walks in game one. The 21 walks drawn by Wheaton today is the second-highest single-game total by a Division III team in a game this season. The mark is tied for 21st in walks drawn in a game in Division III history.
The Thunder also reached safely eight times when hit by a pitch in game one.
Abby Whitehead was 2-for2 at the plate, and
Livi Figueroa hit a double.
Natalie McCaghren,
Amaya Daniels, Madeline Hillyer and
Soleil Weaver each collected singles. Whitehead was the team's RBI-leader with three in the game. Freshman shortstop
Ava Hartnett scored a team-high three times in the win.
The Thunder won today's second game 17-1 as Wheaton scored 17 runs, on six hits, with one error and Maranatha tallied one run, on five hits, with no errors. Senior starting pitcher
Victoria Barbar earned the win in five innings as she allowed one run, on five hits, with four strikeouts and no walks.
Wheaton drew 16 walks in the nightcap and reached base nine times on hit by pitch. McCaghren hit her first collegiate home run in the game-two victory as she also drew two walks and drove in three runs. Barbar helped her own cause, going 2-for-2 with a double, four runs batted in, and three runs scored.
Gracey Rockness hit a double as
Bella Giles and
Makenna Marshall added singles.
Wheaton remains home on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran College.
