COLUMBUS, Ga. -- The Illinois Wesleyan softball team took a pair of wins in the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday, March 13, to earn the title of the Bronze Bracket in the tournament in Columbus, Ga.
 
In the first game of the day, IWU defeated Eastern Connecticut State, 8-2, then downed Ithaca College by a 6-3 score. After losing their first three games of the year, IWU has now won three straight to even their season record at 3-3. Eastern Connecticut is 1-4 this year and Ithaca is also 3-3.
 
Sophomore Mackenzie Marquis (1-2) pitched a complete game five-hitter in the opener, striking out eight.
She got offensive support from freshman centerfielder Jillian Runyon, who had three hits and led off the IWU first with a home run, and senior second baseman Laura Bonds, who had two hits with a double and three runs batted in. Junior leftfielder Sarah Platt also had two hits and an RBI in IWU's 10-hit attack. The Titans scored  five in the fifth and two more in the sixth to put the game away.
 
Against Ithaca, Platt, senior catcher Danielle Smith, sophomore Amanda Lack and sophomore Maggie Graham all collected a pair of hits with Graham, Platt and senior shortstop Sam Gudat hitting doubles. Smith, Lack and senior Mary Rankin all had runs batted in in the third inning that staked IWU to a 3-0 advantage.
 
Freshman Taylor Marvin went the first three innings and allowed three runs on five hits before being relieved by senior Jenna Noland (1-1), who picked up the win in hurling four shutout innings and allowing one hit while striking out six.
 
What's Next?
The Titans will go to Lawrenceville, Ga., for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday, March 15 against Georgia Gwinnett College. An NAIA school, the Grizzlies have a 23-8 record as of Sunday afternoon.