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Hayley Earl on second base
Millikin Athletics
0
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 26-15
1
Winner Millikin MILLIKIN 30-11
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
26-15
0
Final
1
Millikin MILLIKIN
30-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
Millikin MILLIKIN 0 0 1 0 0 0 X 1 2 2

W: Armstrong, Aly (18-4) L: Grubczak, Natalie (11-5)

7
Winner Illinois Wesleyan IWU 27-15
3
North Central NCC 23-20
Winner
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
27-15
7
Final
3
North Central NCC
23-20
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 7 9 2
North Central NCC 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 7 0

W: Mardjetko, Nina (10-5) L: Corban, Gianna (12-11)

Game Recap: Softball |

Long Ball Sets Softball Up for Championship Saturday Matchup with Millikin

Titans used three homers to stave off North Central and advance to Saturday

DECATUR, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team advanced to Championship Saturday with a 7-3 come-from-behind win in an elimination game in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Friday evening, May 14. After falling to Millikin University, 1-0, in the first game of the day, the Titans ousted  fifth-seeded North Central College.  IWU will square off with Millikin for the league title tomorrow, May 15, at 1 p.m.

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 0, Millikin 1
In a game that saw just four hits, Millikin edged IWU, 1-0. Senior Hannah Heraty (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) and freshman Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) each went 1-for-3 at the plate.

Sophomore Natalie Grubczak (Medinah, Ill.-Lake Park) went six innings with four strikeouts in the circle. 

A leadoff walk came around to bite the Titans, as a steal and an error made way for the Big Blue's lone run of the game in the bottom of the third.

The Titans threatened in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings, but could not capitalize.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 7, North Central 2
The Green and White used a big sixth inning to complete a comeback win against North Central in Friday night's elimination game. 

The Titans pounded out nine hits to the Cardinals' seven, including three home runs to remain in the title hunt. IWU's long ball support came way of Heraty and juniors Colleen Palczynski (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect) and Hayley Earl (Washington, Ill.-Washington). Heraty and Palczynski cranked solo shots, while Earl clubbed a three-run HR. 

In addition to Palczynski, who extended her single-season home run record mark in a 2-for-4 performance, freshman Kristina Sherwin (Plainfield, Ill.-St. Francis) and senior Toni Tortorella (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) each went 2-for-3. 

In the circle, sophomore Nina Mardjetko (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) battled through for a complete game victory to pick up her 10th win of the season. Mardjetko allowed three runs, two earned, while scattering seven hits and striking out four.

Sherwin's RBI single broke open the scoring in the top of the first, but NCC answered with two runs to take a 2-1 lead after one inning of play.

North Central's lead held into the fourth, where Palczynski round-tripper evened the score at 2-2.

The Cardinals reclaimed the lead on an IWU miscue in the fourth, to go up 3-2.

Illinois Wesleyan erupted for five runs on six hits in the sixth, erasing North Central's lead for a second time in the game. Hearty got the Titans rolling with a leadoff homer to knot the score at 3-3. After Sherwin's single forced a pitching change, Palczynski ripped a double to right center to put runners on second and third. Earl followed with a three-run blast to left center, and Tortorella capped the inning on a RBI single to put IWU in front, 7-3.

Feeding off the momentum swing brought about by the Titans' bats, Mardjetko faced the minimum in the final two innings to wrap up the win.

Illinois Wesleyan will meet Millikin on Championship Saturday tomorrow, May 15. With MU unbeaten in the tournament, IWU will have to knock off the Big Blue twice to secure the conference title. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

 
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