Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Madison Moore steps into the box to hit against Wheaton
12
Winner Virginia Wesleyan VWU_SB 5-2
0
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0-1
Winner
Virginia Wesleyan VWU_SB
5-2
12
Final
0
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Virginia Wesleyan VWU_SB 0 3 2 6 1 12 12 0
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2

W: Seale, Emily (2-1) L: Grubczak, Natalie (0-1)

2
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0-2
4
Winner Christopher Newport CNU 5-0
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
0-2
2
Final
4
Christopher Newport CNU
5-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 6 2
Christopher Newport CNU 0 2 0 1 0 1 X 4 8 1

W: Jamie Martin (2-0) L: Mardjetko, Nina (0-1) S: Abby Rochette (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Stymied on Day One of NFCA Leadoff Classic

Titans will play tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. ET

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team opened its 2022 campaign Friday, March 4, participating in the invite-only NFCA Leadoff Classic. IWU took on the reigning NCAA DIII National Champion, No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan University, followed by No. 19 Christopher Newport University at South Commons Complex in Columbus, Ga. In game one, Virginia Wesleyan overpowered the Titans 12-0 in five innings. The Green and White dropped game two, 4-2, against CNU to drop to 0-2 on the year.

Game 1: Illinois Wesleyan 0, Virginia Wesleyan 12 (5 inn.)
The Marlins broke the scoreless tie in the top half of the second inning. VWU took advantage of a Titan miscue and strung together a pair of hits to jump out to an early 3-0 lead. 

A Marlin home run to left field widened the advantage, making the score 5-0 in the top of the third. 

Virginia Wesleyan tacked on six in the fourth before handing IWU a 12-0 setback.

In the circle for the Titans, Natalie Grubczak (Medinah, Ill.-Lake Park) took the loss, tossing two and a third innings of work. Senior Madie Monk (Manteno, Ill.-Manteno) and freshman Rylie Perry (Chesterfield, Mo.-Parkway Central) also saw action in the circle, striking out two and four, respectively.

Illinois Wesleyan could only muster four hits in their opening contest of the 2022 campaign, compared to VWU's 13. Sophomore Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove), junior Madison Moore (Verona, Wis.-Edgewood), senior Hayley Earl (Washington, Ill-Washington), and Grubczak each notched a hit for the Green and White.


Game 2: Illinois Wesleyan 2, Christopher Newport 4 
CNU manufactured two runs in the bottom of the second inning to jump out to the early lead, 2-0.

Both starting pitchers saw success that led to a pitcher's duel through the first five innings of play. The team's combined for a total of seven hits though five innings. 

The Titans scored their first run of the 2022 season as senior Colleen Palczyski (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect) singled up the middle, to plate Moore, after a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Fontanetta moved Moore into scoring position. 

In the top of the sixth, Palczyski singled up the middle, once again driving in Moore to cut the deficit to 4-2 in favor of CNU.

The Captains held on to improve to 5-0 on the year after closing out the contest, 4-2.

Junior Nina Mardjetko (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) got the start in the circle for the Titans. The junior threw a all six innings for the Green and White. The Lemont, Ill. native notched one strikeout on eight hits, while she manufactured eight groundouts and nine flyouts. 

Freshman Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) put together a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, including a RBI. Freshman Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) notched her first collegiate hit with her single up the middle. 

The Green and White will continue play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic, tomorrow, March 5, with another twin bill. The team is set to take on No. 6 Eastern Connecticut State at 2:30 p.m. ET, followed by No. 20 Linfield University at 4:30 p.m. ET.

 
Print Friendly Version