Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Senior Molly McCready pitched the No. 17-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team to victory in both games of the doubleheader against Millikin on Tuesday, April 22.  The Titans needed both wins to claim first place ahead of North Central and now control their own destiny with two games remaining in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.   

Winners of 11 straight games, the Titans improved to 30-5 overall and 10-2 in the CCIW, one game ahead of North Central, who is 9-3 in the CCIW after a split with North Park on Tuesday. Millikin is now 16-17 overall and 0-8 in the CCIW.

In game one, after giving up a home run to the leadoff hitter in the top of the first, McCready did not give up another hit until the top of the seventh. McCready went the full seven innings, giving up only two hits with eight strikeouts. Senior infielder Sara Rogers tied the game in the bottom of the second inning with a bases loaded single that scored senior Danielle Burge. The IWU bats woke up in the fifth to take the lead scoring three runs on a Hannah Bowen bunt single and a Sara Daley two-run home run. 

Trailing 3-0 after the first inning of game two, IWU scored 11 unanswered runs to bash Millikin in six innings. The scoring started in the top of the third as the offense put up six runs powered by a three-run home run by Burge. Burge hit her second home run of the game in the fifth inning to increased the Titan lead 9-3.  Rogers continued the power surge with a solo shot of her own in the sixth inning. 

McCready (17-2) came on in relief in the second inning and shut the Big Blue offense down.  She allowed three hits and did not give up a run.

HOW THEY SCORED - GAME ONE
Millikin 1st -  Matthews homered down the rf line, RBI. (1-0)
Illinois Wesleyan 2nd -  Rogers, S. singled, RBI; Tarpey, C. advanced to second; Fazzari, A. advanced to third; Burge, D. scored. (1-1)
Illinois Wesleyan 5th -  Bowen, H. singled, bunt, RBI, advanced to second; Rogers, S. scored. (1-2)
Illinois Wesleyan 5th -  Daley, S. homered to center field, 2 RBI; Bowen, H. scored. (1-4)
Millikin 7th - Tinnon singled down the rf line, RBI; Visvardis scored, unearned. (2-4)

HOW THEY SCORED - GAME TWO
Millikin 1st - Braden singled, RBI; Matthews scored. (1-0)
Millikin 1st - Tinnon homered, 2 RBI; Braden scored. (3-0)
Illinois Wesleyan 3rd - Bowen, H. singled, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; Rogers, S. advanced to third; Tarpey, C. scored. (3-1)
Illinois Wesleyan 3rd - Riordan, A. singled up the middle, 2 RBI; Daley, S. advanced to third; Bowen, H. scored; Rogers, S. scored. (3-3)
Illinois Wesleyan 3rd - Burge, D. homered to right center, 3 RBI; Riordan, A. scored; Daley, S. scored. (3-6)
Illinois Wesleyan 4th - Rogers, S. grounded out to ss, RBI; Whitaker, V. advanced to second; Tarpey, C. scored. (3-7)
Illinois Wesleyan 4th - Daley, S. singled, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; Whitaker, V. scored. (3-8)
Illinois Wesleyan 5th - Burge, D. homered to left center, RBI. (3-9)
Illinois Wesleyan 6th - Rogers, S. homered to left center, RBI. (3-10)
Illinois Wesleyan 6th - Burge, D. flied out to 2b; Bowen, H. scored. (3-11)

What's Next?
The Titans continue CCIW play on Saturday, April 26, with a doubleheader against North Park in Bloomington.  The first game starts at 1 p.m. and a sweep could give the Titans the regular season conference title.