BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The Illinois Wesleyan softball team earned a sweep of Wheaton College on Friday, April 28, besting the Thunder 8-0 in a shortened game one prior to defeating them 2-1 in game two. Freshman Sydney Alery led the Titan offense on Friday hitting 3-for-7 with two home runs and four RBI. Alery's seventh inning home run in game two scored the go-ahead run for IWU.

With a pair of wins, the Titans improved to 27-11 on the season and finish with an 11-5 record in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Wheaton fell to 8-30 and 4-12 in the CCIW following Friday's results.

Junior Mackenzie Marquis was majestic in game one limiting the thunder to three hits and five walks over six innings pitched. Marquis added five strikeouts to her final tally as she improved her season record to 9-6. Kendell Kehres fell to 7-12 on the season for Wheaton after allowing the Titans to amass eight hits and eight total runs over 5 2/3 innings. Kehres surrendered just two earned runs.

Six Titans recorded base hits in game one, led by freshman Sam Berghoff who was 2-for-4 with two doubles and one run. Alery led the team with three RBI, two of which came via her sixth-inning blast. Junior's Amanda Lack and Maggie Graham, alongside sophomore Julie Josten and senior Katie Caulfield, each finished game one with one RBI.

Game two featured another masterful pitching performance for Illinois Wesleyan as freshman Brea Walker (12-3) earned her program-record setting 12th win of the season. Walker now holds the record for most wins in a freshman season, a mark previously held by Kerri Doyle (11-3 in 1992) and A.J. Reeley (11-4 in 2000). Wheaton collected just four hits and one unearned run against Walker, who struck out seven without surrendering a walk. Wheaton's Jaclyn McLean (0-16) allowed 10 hits but just two runs over seven innings.

A stolen base from Berghoff led to the Titans first run of game two after the Thunder catcher missed her target on the throw to second. As the ball bounced into center field, Lack was able to score from third. Wheaton tied the game at one in the sixth inning when Megan Neuhaus scored on a passed ball.

With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Alery hit a go-ahead solo home run to left center. Wheaton's Julia Arthur had a beat on the ball but was unable to corral it as it dropped over the fence.

What's Next?
With a late addition to the regular season schedule, the Titans will face Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill. on Tuesday, May 2nd. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Kamp Softball Field. The Lady Blues currently hold an impressive 23-9 record and are set to face Lake Forest College on Saturday, April 29 prior to meeting IWU.