Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

2013 NFCA Leadoff Classic Home Page

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The No. 8-nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team scored in every inning of the game and held on for a 12-11 win over No. 11-ranked Trine (6-1), then got a 3-2 win over Mississippi College on the opening day of the 2013 season at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., on Friday, March 8.

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
♦ Illinois Wesleyan improved to 2-0 while the Lady Choctaws dropped to 2-8.
♦ The Titans, who finished with eight hits, scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win. Singles by junior Erin Sweeney and senior Stephanie Polich opened the seventh, then with two outs, junior Sara Rogers delivered the game-winning hit for the walk-off win.
♦ Both teams had scored two runs in the fourth inning with the Titans' runs coming on a two-run homer by senior Emma Clark.

Inside the Box Score
♦ Senior lefthander Alyssa Vorel was the winning pitcher and allowed six hits.
♦ Clark's home run is the 21st of her career, tying the school record for career homers held by Valeie Hackett from 2007-10.
♦ Junior Sara Rogers had three hits, all singles, and was the only Titan with a multiple-hit game.


TRINE
♦ The Titans jumped out to an 8-0 lead as they scored two in the first, one run in the second and got five in the third.
♦ Trine lost for the first time after six wins to open their season. The Thunder put together a six-run third inning and scored four in the last of the seventh, leaving the tying run on second base when the final out was made.
♦ IWU had 14 hits, drew eight walks, stole three bases and left 11 on base.

Inside the Box Score
♦ Sophomore second baseman Hannah Bowen, playing her first game at IWU, had four singles, drove in three runs and scored twice.
♦ Senior centerfielder Keri Leach had two doubles and a triple, scored twice and drove in a run.
♦ Junior Kaity Crane had a two-run pinch hit single in the third inning and senior shortstop Courtney Martin had a two-hit game and walked twice.
♦ Junior starting pitcher Molly McCready didn't allow a hit until the third inning. She was touched for 10 hits, five of them doubles, and walked four while striking out three. Three of the Trine runs were earned as the Titans were guilty of five errors. McCready threw 169 pitches in the win.

What's Next
The Titans play Neumann at 10 a.m. Saturday in the final game of pool play. IWU will then play one more game on Saturday and two more on Sunday in the tournament.