CHICAGO -- The Illinois Wesleyan softball team opened play in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) on Sunday, April 2, with back-to-back victories over North Park University. IWU defeated the Vikings in game one by a final score of 9-1 before winning a close second game by a final score of 2-1. Freshman Sydney Alery led the offense on the day batting 3-of-5 with three runs, two RBI and two walks through two games.

Illinois Wesleyan improved their overall record to 14-4 (2-0 CCIW), while North Park fell to 3-19 (0-2) on the season following a pair of losses.

Game one was all about the Titan offense who exploded for nine runs, their second-highest run total of the season thus far. After the teams went scoreless through the first three innings, the Titans put four runs on the board in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Alery and senior Katie Caulfield each singled home runners in the inning. After scoring one in the fifth, IWU tacked on three more runs in the sixth due in part to the play of sophomore Jillian Runyon.

Runyon singled home junior Amanda Lack prior to stealing second, advancing to third on a single from freshman Sam Berghoff, and then later scoring on a single from freshman pitcher Brea Walker. Runyon's stolen base was her 21st of the season. IWU extended their lead in the seventh following an RBI double from freshman Shelby Fulk.

Junior Mackenzie Marquis earned her sixth victory of the season pitching three innings while allowing five hits and one walk while striking out three. Marquis was relieved by Walker who tossed four innings allowing just one earned run on two hits and two walks.

Game two featured a pitchers duel between sophomore Taylor Marvin and North Park's Amara Leith. Marvin pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run on six hits to earn her fifth victory of the season.

The Vikings struck first in the fourth inning to take a 1-0 lead over IWU. Illinois Wesleyan knotted the game up in the bottom of the fourth following an RBI double from Alery. The score remained locked up at one until the bottom of the seventh. Fulk got things started for IWU with a double to center. After a stolen base by Fulk, freshman Kara Bischoff delivered a walk-off single to center for her first career RBI.

What's Next?
IWU continues CCIW action on Tuesday, April 4 with a home doubleheader against North Central College starting at 4 p.m. North Central enters into Tuesday's contest with a 10-7 record after splitting with Carroll University on Saturday.