BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The Illinois Wesleyan softball team won three games on Saturday, May 5, to claim the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin postseason tournament championship and earn the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III championship tournament.

The Titans, who have a 31-10-1 record defeated North Central by a 13-3 score in the first game of the day, then took games from Carthage College by scores of 3-0 and 7-4 to win the tourney championship for the 13th time overall, for the second straight year and the fourth time in the last five seasons. This is IWU's seventh straight season with 30 or more wins and 17th time in the last 19 years.

With her efforts on Saturday, sophomore Sam Berghoff broke single-season program records for doubles (19) and runs batted in (56). Berghoff currently ranks in the top 5 of NCAA Division III for RBI's.

In game one, senior Mackenzie Marquis (6-3) was the winning pitcher and sophomore Brea Walker earned her first save of the season. Sophomore Shelby Fulk and senior Maggie Graham each finished the game with three hits and two RBI. Junior Julie Josten and sophomore Kara Bischoff each collected two hits in addition to two RBI. Sophomore Sydney Alery led the team in RBI with three which included a two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Facing elimination, the Titans received a complete game shutout effort from sophomore Ally Wiegand (14-2), her fourth of the season. Wiegand allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out 12. Alery got Illinois Wesleyan on the board for the first time in the fifth inning with an RBI double to left center-field.  Later that same inning, sophomore Mia Massaro came around to score on a triple by Berghoff, who also scored on the play following a throwing error by the Lady Reds.

IWU turned in a comeback effort in game three after going down by scores of 3-0 and 4-3 in the contest. Back-to-back doubles from Berghoff and Graham tied the game at three in the third inning, but Carthage's Ellie Bernero had other plans as she homered to open the fourth. Josten sent the Titans to the NCAA tournament with a sixth inning grand slam that gave Illinois Wesleyan a 7-4 lead. Wiegand earned her second save of the season after she pitched the seventh. Marquis was the winner in game three pitching two scoreless innings of relief.

Junior Jillian Runyon stole four bases on Saturday to increase her season total to 43. Runyon currently holds the career stolen bases record at IWU with 141.

The announcement for NCAA tournament teams will be made on Monday, May 7 at 12 p.m. Central time on NCAA.com. Illinois Wesleyan will be making its seventh straight appearance, and 17th overall, into the NCAA Division III championships.