WHEATON, Ill. -- The No. 10-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team swept Wheaton College on Friday, March 30 by final scores of 9-4 in each game. Sophomore Sydney Alery provided a spark for the Titans in game one with fourth inning grand slam. Over the course of two games Alery drove in five runs and walked five times.
 
With a pair of victories the Titans improved to 11-3 overall with a 4-0 record in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Wheaton fell to 3-15 overall with an 0-2 mark in CCIW action.
 
In game one, the Titans rallied from a 4-0 deficit with five runs in the top of the fourth inning as sophomore Sam Berghoff had a run-scoring double and Alery plated four with a grand slam home run.
 
Illinois Wesleyan added three more in the fifth with RBI from Berghoff, sophomore Shelby Fulk and senior Delaney Olinger. Berghoff cracked a solo home run in the seventh to cap IWU's scoring.
 
Sophomore Ally Wiegand picked up the win in relief of starter Mackenzie Marquis. Wiegand (5-1) threw the final four innings of scoreless softball, allowing just one hit and striking out seven. Marquis pitched 3.0 innings allowing four hits and four earned runs, while striking out one.
 
Berghoff and centerfielder Jillian Runyon finished with three hits, while sophomore Mia Massaro and Olinger had two, in a 13-hit IWU offensive output.
 
In game two, Illinois Wesleyan found themselves trailing by two in the bottom of the first inning. A first inning sacrifice fly from Berghoff scored Runyon to get the Titans on the board.
 
The Titans added three runs in the bottom of the second, headlined by a bases loaded double from Runyon which scored sophomore Brea Walker and junior Julie Josten. Alery followed Runyon's lead with a sac fly to score senior Stephanie Prentice.
 
Berghoff continued her strong performance on Friday with an RBI double in the fourth inning. Fulk scored Berghoff on an RBI single to center in the next at-bat.
 
After Runyon singled home freshman Toni Tortorella in the fifth, Illinois Wesleyan added two more runs in the sixth. Sophomore Courtney Barrett drove in the first RBI of her career on a single up the middle to score senior Summer Stitt. Sophomore Brittany Murphy later scored on an error.

Runyon swiped two bags in game two, increasing her season total to 18 stolen bases.
 
Walker (4-1) earned the victory for Illinois Wesleyan pitching a complete game in which she allowed nine hits, three earned runs, and stuck out four batters.
 
What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan will travel to Elmhurst on Saturday, March 31 for a 12 p.m. doubleheader. The Bluejays hold a season record of 5-9 with losses coming in four straight contests. Veronica Zahn is hitting .533 for the season with one home run and four RBI.