JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Complete game efforts in the circle by junior Natalie Grubczak (Medinah, Ill.-Lake Park) and sophomore Bailey Turner (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) led the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team to a sweep at Illinois College Monday evening, March 28. An error-filled opener saw the Titans squeak out a 3-1 victory over the Lady Blues to start the day. IWU (9-7) then topped IC (5-8) 1-0 in game two to complete the sweep.

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 3, Illinois College 1
After stranding the bases loaded in the first, IWU pushed a run across in the second on three hits and an error. A one-out single by Turner was followed by an IC miscue and an infield single by junior Mikayla Fairfield (Normal, Ill.-Normal West), loading the bases for sophomore Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove). Hitting in the two spot, Fontanetta singled to the left side to score one and put Illinois Wesleyan up, 1-0.

IWU stranded bases loaded in the third and fourth innings, making way for IC to even the score at 1-1 in the fifth. The Lady Blues used a walk, stolen base, and RBI single to manufacture the game-tying run before Grubczak notched an inning-ending strikeout to send the Titans back to the plate.

Two hits and an error once again loaded the bases for the Green and White, but Illinois Wesleyan was unable to capitalize. 

Grubczak worked around a two-out single to end the sixth, where IWU used a two-out rally to reclaim the lead. With Fairfield standing on second after reaching on an error and advancing on a wild pitch, senior Colleen Palczynski (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect) laced a double to center to bring in the Green and White's second run of the day. Junior Madison Moore's (Verona, Wis.-Edgewood) single put runners on the corners as another IC miscue allowed the Titans to tack on an insurance run.

With a 3-1 advantage, Grubczak battled through the seventh. A walk brought the tying-run to the plate with nobody out, but the junior hurler used back-to-back groundouts to finish off a complete-game victory.

The Titan offense cranked out 13 hits to go along with six Lady Blue errors. Fontanetta and Moore put together 3-for-5 showings at the plate, with Fairfield finishing the game 2-for-5. 

Grubczak's complete game victory saw the junior strikeout nine over seven innings, while allowing one run on five hits. The win boosted her record in the circle to 2-1 on the season.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 1, Illinois College 0
The Titans scored the lone run of the game in the top of the first as Turner and the IWU defense took it from there. A leadoff single by Fairfield and a walk by Palczynski put two on with one out as Moore stepped into the box. The Verona, Wis. native came through with a bloop single to load the bases before an RBI groundout pushed Illinois Wesleyan ahead, 1-0.

Turner took things from there, limiting Illinois College to just four hits in a complete game effort. The sophomore struck out three en route to her second complete game shutout of the year.

IWU finished with six hits, as Fontanetta paced the offense with a 2-for-4 effort. Senior Hayley Earl (Washington, Ill.-Washington) was credited with the game's only RBI.

Next up for the Titans is IWU's annual home tournament this weekend, April 2-3. The Green and White will host Illinois College, University of Chicago, and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Inspiration Field.