GAME ONE BOX SCORE - Millikin 5, Illinois Wesleyan 4, March 31
GAME TWO BOX SCORE - Illinois Wesleyan 10, Millikin 2, March 31

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan softball team lost a regular season College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game for the first time in nearly two years, falling 5-4 in the opener against Millikin, before downing the Big Blue, 10-2 in the nightcap at IWU Field on March 31.

The Titans are 12-6 overall and while Millikin is 13-7; both teams are 1-1 in the CCIW.

In the first game, leftfielder Jen Monaco had two of the Titans' five hits, including a double, and drove home two runs as IWU battled back from a four-run deficit. Millikin put four unearned runs on the board to take a 4-0 lead in the fourth with the big blow being a three-run home run by Jenna Anderson.
Pitcher Christy Engel (3-4) also had two hits and two runs batted in offensively and struck out eight while allowing three hits and walked three in seven innings.
It was Illinois Wesleyan's first regular season CCIW loss since a setback to North Central on April 17, 2008. The Titans rolled through the league with a 14-0 record last year.

Illinois Wesleyan pounded out 16 hits and took advantage of eight Millikin errors in game two. Catcher Caitlin Carpenter and third baseman Kayla Mahoney each had three hits and Engel provided two more. Freshman Annie Lenz pounded a two-run home run to straightaway centerfield in the seventh.
Lauren James (who improved to 2-0) came into the game with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth and escaped with no further damage. She struck out eight in 3 2/3 innings in relief of Alyssa Vorel, who struck out six and allowed six hits and two runs in 3 1/3 innings.

The Titans are idle until April 7, when they play a 4 p.m. conference doubleheader at Augustana.