MARSHALL, Texas - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team was swept Wednesday afternoon, March 15, by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at the Jan Gentry Classic hosted by East Texas Baptist University. IWU (4-8) saw a comeback fall short, 2-1, in game one, while UMHB (9-4) upended the Titans, 5-1, in game two.

Game One: Mary Hardin-Baylor 2, Illinois Wesleyan 1
UMHB took the lead from the jump, plating a run in the first on just one hit. The Crusaders tacked on another in the fourth as a leadoff walk came back to bite the Titans. The free pass was followed by a single, and a sacrifice bunt, which put two in scoring position for UMHB. A single through the left side brought a run home, double Mary Hardin-Baylor's lead, 2-0.

Freshman Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) broke up the no-no with a single to left in the bottom of the fifth, but the threat ended there.

Sophomore Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) kicked off the bottom of the sixth with a double and was bunted over to third by junior Maya Black (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood). After junior Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) reached base, sophomore Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) roped a double to right, bringing Kuhn home and cutting the deficit in half. The two-out two-bagger sent the game to the seventh with IWU trailing, 2-1.

Senior Nina Mardjetko (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) made quick work of the Crusaders in the seventh, sending them down in order to bring IWU back to plate. 

Illinois Wesleyan could not muster any offense in its final at bats as a strikeout, popup, and lineout ended the game.

Mardjetko tossed the full seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs, only one of which were earned. 

Offensively, IWU was doubled up in the hit count, 6-3. The Titans held a 2-1 edge in extra-base hits courtesy of doubles from Kuhn and Khoury.

Game Two: Mary Hardin-Baylor 5, Illinois Wesleyan 1
Senior Natalie Grubczak (Medinah, Ill.-Lake Park) pitched around a pair of baserunners through the first two innings, stranding a runner on third with a strikeout to keep the game scoreless.

Khoury came to the plate in IWU's half of the second and sent the first pitch she saw out and over the fence in right-center. The home run, Khoury's third of the season, put Illinois Wesleyan in front, 1-0.

A hit by pitch sandwiched between a pair of walks loaded the bases for the Crusaders with one out in the fourth. UMHB used a pinch-hit single up the middle to turn the tide. A double then cleared the bases as the Cru before back-to-back wild pitches brought in another run, driving the Mary Hardin-Baylor lead to 5-1.

Senior Madison Moore (Verona, Wis.-Edgewood) singled to third and used a delayed steal to swipe second on the play in the sixth. Ultimately, the Titans stranded her there as a fly ball and grounder ended the inning.

Moore proved to be IWU's final baserunner, as the Green and White were retired in order in the seventh. 

Illinois Wesleyan was outhit 5-4 in the game, with four different players notching hits in the setback. 

In the circle, Grubczak took the loss. The senior hurler pitched into the seventh inning, allowing five runs on five hits, a walk, and three HBPs. Freshman Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) threw a hitless seventh after coming in with a runner on first.

With six games in the books in Texas, IWU is set to play tournament host and eighth-ranked East Texas Baptist tomorrow, March 16. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m.