NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The No. 18-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team earned a sweep of No. 22-ranked North Central College on Sunday, April 22, defeating the Cardinals by final scores of 8-1 and 9-3. Sophomore Sydney Alery provided the Titans with home run power in each game finishing the day 4-for-8 at the plate with five RBI, four runs scored, and two home runs.
 
With a pair of victories Illinois Wesleyan improved to 21-8 overall and 11-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). North Central fell to 23-5 with an 7-3 record in conference play.

In game one, sophomore Brea Walker (6-3) turned in a complete game allowing five hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. Walker struck out six batters and walked three. After allowing an RBI double in the first inning, Walker allowed just three hits for the remainder of the contest. North Central's Jennifer Yager was the losing pitcher in game one as she allowed 12 hits and eight runs (four earned) in 4.1 innings pitched.

The Titans saw all of their offensive action come in two innings during game one, scoring three in the second inning and five in the fifth. Sophomore Sam Berghoff got the IWU offense going with a two-RBI single in the second inning to score junior Jillian Runyon and sophomore Brittany Murphy. Berghoff, who batted a perfect 4-for-4 with a walk in game one, later came around to score on an infield single by sophomore Kara Bischoff.

Alery's fifth inning home run started a rally for the Titans who reached base in six straight plate appearances. After Murphy reached on an error, Runyon and Berghoff each singled home runners to give IWU an 8-1 lead.

Sophomore Ally Wiegand (10-2) earned victory on the rubber in game two after striking out seven Cardinal batters in 4.1 innings of relief. Senior Mackenzie Marquis was the Titans' starter in game two, pitching 2.2 innings. Sarah Esposito was charged with the loss for North Central after allowing two runs and recording just one out.

With Illinois Wesleyan down in an early 2-0 hole, Alery hit her second solo home run in as many games to ignite the Titan offense. Alery has been a force at the plate as of late, hitting a combined 7-for-14 with nine RBI and three home runs in her last five games. Not to be out-done by her classmate, Berghoff went back-to-back with Alery to tie the game at two apiece.

After North Central added one run in the third inning, senior Delany Olinger responded with an RBI single in the home half to score senior Maggie Graham. A three-run home run from Runyon in the fifth inning provided IWU with a comfortable 9-3 lead. Runyon stole two bases in game two to give her 27 on the season. The Pekin, Ill. native was involved in a jaw-dropping play in the fourth that saw her score from second base on an Alery sacrifice fly.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Illinois Wesleyan welcomes University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to town on Monday, April 23 for a 3 p.m. doubleheader. Whitewater is 18-9 this season with an 8-1 mark in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Warhawks are led by outfielder Mallory Klotz who owns a .400 batting average alongside a team-high 31 RBI.