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INDIANOLA, Iowa - The Illinois Wesleyan softball team won a pair of shutout games in the NCAA Division III tournament on Saturday, May 15, topping Chicago 7-0 and Simpson 2-0. IWU (33-15) will now play in an 11 a.m. elimination game Sunday against St. Thomas, who handed the Titans a 3-2 loss on Friday night.

St. Thomas (39-7) lost a 9-0 game to the regional's No. 1 seed  Linfield (38-5) on Saturday. The winner of the IWU/St. Thomas game would face Linfield immediately following the first game of the day and would need to hand Linfield two losses on Sunday.

Game times for Sunday have been moved up one hour from the original schedule due to chance of precipitation in the afternoon.

Illinois Wesleyan 2, Simpson 0 - Box Score

In the 2-0 win over host school Simpson, junior Lauren James saved the game for senior Christy Engel (14-10) in the circle as she ended a bases-loaded rally in the sixth inning with a pair of strikeouts, then struck out three in the seventh. It is James' fifth save of the season.

The Titans scored their two runs in the fifth as freshman Katie Bruins led off with a single to left center and went to second on a sacrifice by senior second baseman Lisa Narotsky. Freshman Stephanie Polich grounded out to the first baseman and sent Bruins to third. Engel then brought Bruins home with a single to left field. After senior shortstop Allison Ward singled through the left side, freshman Alyssa Vorel singled down the rightfield line to score Engel.

Engel worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed four hits while striking out four.

Illinois Wesleyan 7, Chicago 0 - Box Score

The Titans jumped out to a 5-0 lead before an out was recorded in the first inning. Freshman centerfielder Stephanie Polich singled then stole second and stole third. Engel walked and senior shortstop Allison Ward singled to right field to score Polich and send Engel to second. Freshman Alyssa Vorel reached on an error to load the bases before junior first baseman Kris Lee singled up the middle to score Ward and Engel and make the score 3-0.
Junior Jen Monaco reached on an error to again load the bases and a single by sophomore third baseman Kayla Mahoney brought home two more runs to make the score 5-0.
The Titans added two more runs in the sixth on base hits by pinch hitter Annie Lenz and Engel.
Engel was the winning pitcher as she struck out eight and allowed three hits in five shutout innngs while Vorel and junior Lauren James tossed an inning each to close the game.