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2014 NCAA Division III Bloomington, Ill., Super Regional Website

IWU vs. Wis.-Whitewater Photo Gallery

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The 41-win season for the Illinois Wesleyan softball team came to an end on Saturday (May 17) as the Titans lost the second game, 6-3, to Wisconsin-Whitewater in the NCAA Division III Super Regional at IWU Field. IWU had won the opener 6-3 to force game two.

The Titans' season ends at 41-7 while the Warhawks are 37-11 and advance to play Rochester in the NCAA Division III finals at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 22, at Suddenlink Field in Tyler, Texas.

Thanks to a fourth inning grand slam home run by sophomore Kyley McKeown, the Titans got the 6-3 win to force a third game in the Super Regional. IWU trailed 2-1 in Saturday's first game before sending 10 hitters to the plate in a five-run fourth. Katie Caulfield's single scored Burge to force a 2-all tie before McKeown sent a 2-2 pitch from reliever Kelynn Sporer over the right-field fence for her fourth homer of the season.

Senior Molly McCready relieved sophomore Jenna Noland and got the win in game one, pitching five innings and allowing one run on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

Much like in Friday's first Super Regional loss, IWU could never get ahead in game three. Senior Danielle Burge, who also homered in Friday's game, smacked a two-run homer to center in the fourth inning to cut the Warhawks' lead to 3-2 but Whitewater led 4-2 after Morgan Krisch hit a solo home run in the fifth. In the sixth, Burge got the Titans within a run at 4-3 when she hit a solo home run that was barely fair down the left-field line.

After a walk and fly out, Paige Evangelista sent a Noland pitch over the leftfield scoreboard to stake Whitewater to a 6-3 lead and Bekka Houda, who was named the Super Regional's "Most Outstanding Pitcher", set the Titans down in order in the seventh to earn her second save in as many days.

Whitewater starter Sporer (17-5), who went the first four innings, was the winner while IWU starter McCready (22-4) took the loss, working the first four innings and allowing three runs on seven hits..

Whitewater's second baseman Kelly McGrail, who was the Super Regional's "Most Outstanding Player", had two of the Warhawks' 10 hits off McCready and Noland, who took over in the fifth. McGrail also had a pair of hits in Saturday's opener.

The Titans set school records for doubles (84), home runs (37), wins (41), pitcher strikeouts (387) and had a school-record 21 game winning streak. McCready finished as the school's all-time leader in shutouts (20) and strikeouts (632) and was second in wins (59), games started (79) and innings pitched (500.0). Her 22 wins this year is tied for the most in an IWU single season.

GAME 1 - HOW THEY SCORED
Wis.-Whitewater 2nd - Evangelista struck out swinging. Eichenold popped up to 2b. Jablonski homered to center field, RBI. Schobert singled to left field. Seamon lined out to lf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Illinois Wesleyan 3rd - Fazzari, A. lined out to 3b. McKeown, K. fouled out to 1b. Rogers, S. singled through the left side. Rogers, S. stole second. Bowen, H. singled to left field, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; Rogers, S. scored. Daley, S. popped up to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Wis.-Whitewater 3rd - Ramirez singled to right field, advanced to second on an error by rf. McGrail singled to center field, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; Ramirez scored, unearned. McCready, M. to p for Noland, J.. Krisch out at first 3b to 2b, SAC, bunt; McGrail advanced to third. Ricci walked. Evangelista struck out swinging. Eichenold struck out swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Illinois Wesleyan 4th - Riordan, A. fouled out to 1b. Burge, D. doubled to left center. Montgomery singled through the left side; Burge, D. advanced to third. Caulfield singled to left field, RBI; Montgomery advanced to second; Burge, D. scored. Fazzari, A. walked; Caulfield advanced to second; Montgomery advanced to third. Sporer to p for Houda. McKeown, K. homered to right field, 4 RBI; Fazzari, A. scored; Caulfield scored; Montgomery scored. Rogers, S. lined out to 3b. Bowen, H. walked. Daley, S. hit by pitch; Bowen, H. advanced to second. Riordan, A. grounded out to p. 5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Wis.-Whitewater 6th - Eichenold walked. Smith pinch ran for Eichenold. Jablonski walked; Smith advanced to second. Schobert singled through the left side; Jablonski advanced to second; Smith advanced to third. Seamon flied out to rf, SF, RBI; Jablonski advanced to third; Smith scored. Ramirez lined into double play 3b to 1b; Schobert out on the play. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

GAME 2 - HOW THEY SCORED
Wis.-Whitewater 2nd - Evangelista walked. Eichenold fouled out to c. Krisch singled to shortstop, bunt; Evangelista advanced to second. Schobert singled to center field; Krisch advanced to second; Evangelista advanced to third. Seamon singled to right field, RBI; Schobert advanced to second; Krisch advanced to third; Evangelista scored. Ramirez lined into double play ss to 3b; Krisch out on the play. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Wis.-Whitewater 4th - Krisch struck out looking. Schobert singled through the left side. Seamon doubled to right center; Schobert advanced to third. Ramirez grounded out to 2b, RBI; Seamon advanced to third; Schobert scored. McGrail doubled to right center, RBI; Seamon scored. Jablonski walked. Ricci grounded out to p. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Illinois Wesleyan 4th - Daley, S. singled through the left side. Riordan, A. flied out to lf. Burge, D. homered to center field, 2 RBI; Daley, S. scored. Montgomery grounded out to 3b. Caulfield grounded out to 3b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Wis.-Whitewater 5th - Noland, J. to p for McCready, M.. Evangelista grounded out to ss. Eichenold grounded out to ss. Krisch homered to right field, RBI. Schobert grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Illinois Wesleyan 6th - Riordan, A. grounded out to 2b. Burge, D. homered down the lf line, RBI. Montgomery fouled out to lf. Caulfield struck out looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Wis.-Whitewater 7th - Jablonski walked. Hansen pinch hit for Ricci. DuCharme pinch ran for Jablonski. Hansen popped up to c, bunt. Evangelista homered to left field, 2 RBI; DuCharme scored. Eichenold singled up the middle. Smith pinch ran for Eichenold. Krisch struck out swinging. Schobert popped up to ss. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.