BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team split with North Central College in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader Thursday, April 27, at Inspiration Field. The Titans (19-12, 9-1 CCIW) won game one 8-4, but the Cardinals (9-24, 5-11 CCIW) took game two by a 9-4 tally.

Game One: North Central 4, Illinois Wesleyan 8
A one-out walk came around to score on a two-out double to the fence in left center, giving North Central a 1-0 after one half inning.

A Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) walk was followed by an infield single from freshman Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia), putting two on with two away. The chance was thwarted though, as a solid play by the NCC third baseman ended the inning.

The Titans leveled the score at one in the bottom of the third, as sophomore Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) uncorked her second homer of the season to straight-away center. 

Illinois Wesleyan plated five runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth. Singles by junior Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) and Post got the inning started. Kuhn's single loaded the bases and was followed up with a two-run single by junior Bailey Turner (Normal, Ill.-Normal West). A wild pitch and a dropped popup with two outs pushed three more runs across the plate, giving IWU a 6-1 advantage into the fifth.

North Central loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, eventually scoring three runs on four hits, to cut Illinois Wesleyan's advantage to two, 6-4.

After senior Madison Moore (Verona, Wis.-Edgewood) walked and stole second, sophomore Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) belted a 3-2 offering out to left for her 11th home run of the year. The two-run roundtripper gave IWU an 8-4 advantage into the final inning, where freshman Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) closed things out.

Senior Nina Mardjetko (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) threw the first five innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking three. She earned the win to improve to 11-6 in the circle this season, while Certa tossed the final two innings. 

The Titans recorded 10 hits in the game, with two players collecting multiple hits. Moore finished 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored, three stolen bases, and two walks, while Kuhn finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and one driven in.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 4, North Central 9
A pair of walks and an error allowed North Central to strike first, but Kuhn dumped a run-scoring single in right in the second to put IWU on top, 3-1.

The Cardinals came right back though, using six to manufacture five runs and reclaim a 6-3 lead before freshman Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic) got the call in relief. The freshman showed some poise, fanning two to escape the bases loaded jam.

Trailing 6-3 in the third, the Green and White saw back-to-back singles from Moore and Khoury to start the inning. 

The Titans picked up another run on Post's RBI single to right-center, but the Cardinals came back with two in the bottom half of the third to extend their lead to four, 8-4.

A solo homer in the fifth upped the NCC lead to 9-4, as the Titans were handed their first setback of the CCIW slate. 

Each team finished with nine hits, as Kuhn, Khoury, Moore, and Post tallied two apiece. Kuhn led the team with two RBIs. 

Three different arms got innings in the circle, with senior Natalie Grubczak (Medinah, Ill.-Lake Park) getting the start. Grubczak threw 1.1 innings before Gatchell struck out six over 3.2 innings of work. Certa tossed the final inning, walking one and striking out one.

Illinois Wesleyan looks to bounce back Saturday, April 29, when the Titans host Elmhurst University. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will serve as IWU's Senior Day.