JACKSONVILLE, Ill. -- Illinois Wesleyan got a run in the eighth inning to earn an 8-7 win in game one of a softball doubleheader before losing by an 8-7 score on a walk-off sacrifice fly at Illinois College on Tuesday, May 2, at Jessica Kamp Field in Jacksonville, Ill.

Heading into their respective conference tournaments this weekend, the split leaves the Titans with a 28-12 overall record while the Lady Blues are 24-11.

The Titans banged out a season-high 17 hits and Illinois College made five errors in game one as IWU scored a run in the top of the eighth to win game one. Using tiebreaker rules, freshman second baseman Shelby Fulk was placed on second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored the game-winner on a base hit by junior rightfielder Maggie Graham.
 
Sophomore centerfielder Jillian Runyon had four hits, stole three bases and scored two runs while freshman shortstop Sam Berghoff had three singles with two runs batted in. Fulk, Graham and freshman designated hitter Brittany Murphy each had two hits as IWU had baserunners in every inning and stranded 14 runners.
 
Freshman Brea Walker (13-3) got the pitching win in relief, throwing the final 2 1/3 scoreless, three-hit innings.
 
IWU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap but the Lady Blues got right back in it with four in the bottom of the first. IWU also led 6-4 before Illinois College plated three in the fifth to take a 7-6 lead. After the Titans tied the game at 7-7 in the sixth and left two in scoring position in the seventh, Illinois College scored on a single, a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.
 
Runyon had three more hits in the second game and junior catcher Delaney Olinger had three hits with two doubles and three runs batted in. Illinois Wesleyan had no hitters strike out for the third time this season.
 
Walker (13-4) pitched a complete game of 6 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs (five earned) on eight hits while striking out two and walking five.

NOTES: The three stolen bases in game one give Runyon a total of 91 in her career, putting her in second place all-time at Illinois Wesleyan. The career record is held by Monica Urban, who stole 94 from 2006-09 ... Runyon's 50 steals this year is an IWU single-season record.
 
What's Next?
No. 3-seed Illinois Wesleyan opens play at the Workman Family Softball Field in Decatur, Ill., at 12 p.m. Friday, May 5 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin against No. 2-seed Carthage College (24-16, 12-4 CCIW). Win or lose, IWU will play again at either 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. Friday.