Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Sophomore
Molly McCready struck out 11 in tossing a two-hitter and got offensive support from junior centerfielder
Keri Leach and sophomore catcher
Sara Daley as Illinois Wesleyan beat Millikin 7-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament at IWU Field on Friday (May 4).
The Titans improved to 35-6 while Millikin fell to 23-17. The Titans will play next at 11:30 a.m. Saturday (May 5) against the winner of the 9:30 a.m. game between Millikin and Carthage.The Lady Reds needed 10 innings to top Elmhurst 5-3 in an elimination game Friday.
IWU scored two in the first as junior shortstop
Courtney Martin singled and went to second on a walk to freshman leftfielder
Audra James. Leach sacrificed the runners ahead a base and Martin scored when junior third baseman
Emma Clark reached on an error. James scored on a ground out by sophomore designated player
Allie Riordan.
The Titans plated three in the second as Daley led off with a double to left and went to third on a wild pitch. With one out, junior rightfielder
Stephanie Polich singled and stole second. After Martin walked to load the bases, freshman
Chloe Montgomery's sacrifice fly brought home a run and Leach's single to rightfield brought home Martin and Polich.
Illinois Wesleyan added a run in the third when sophomore first baseman
Jessica Toth reached on a bunt single and went to second on an error by the first baseman. Daley;s second double of the game knocked in Toth.
In the fourth with one out Leach singled to center and went to third on a Clark double over the centerfielder's head. Riordan's flyball drove in Leach.
McCready walked only two as her record improved to 15-3.
NOTES: The winner of the CCIW tournament receives the league's automatic bid for the NCAA Division III tournament. The tournament field and pairings will be announced at 9 a.m. on Monday (May 7) on
NCAA.com and the Bloomington, Ill., regional will begin at Illinois Wesleyan on Thursday (May 10)...The 35 victories is fourth most in an IWU softball season. The record is 39 (2001), followed by 38 (2003), and 37 (2009)...McCready is fifth all-time with 284 strikeouts and her total of 178 is second most in a single season. The record is 198, set by Christy Engel in 2009. McCready also ranks fourth with eight career shutouts...Head coach Steve King has a four-year record of 135-39 for a .776 winning percentage...
