Isabelle Piowarczyk running on the bases

Kodiak Creative

Home at Last: Softball Hosts Monmouth Thursday

First pitch set for 3 p.m.

3/20/2024 8:04:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team puts its four-game win streak on the line as it hosts Monmouth College Thursday, March 21, for its home opener at the newly renovated Inspiration Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The Titans lift the lid on their home schedule following a doubleheader sweep at Emory University, March 16. With wins of 15-4 and 10-2 against the Eagles, the Green and White boosted its record to 6-4. Monmouth meanwhile, is 1-11 on the year and is amid a seven-game losing streak.

Illinois Wesleyan and Monmouth have met 44 times ahead of Thursday, with IWU maintaining a stronghold on the all-time tally, 39-5. The Titans have won 19 straight against the Scots, including sweeping last season's twin bill by scores of 5-1 and 4-0.

The Green and White are hitting a hefty .328 on the season as a team, despite facing some strong pitching. IWU is led by freshman Hailey Milgazo (Poway, Calif.-Poway) and junior Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High). Milgazo is hitting a whopping .516 from the leadoff spot, while Kuhn is just behind here with a .514 average. Milgazo is also the Titans' stolen base leader with five.

Three Titans have driven in seven-or-more on the season, with sophomore Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) and junior Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) pacing the team with eight RBIs apiece. Freshman Elyssa Stenger (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) has driven in seven.

In the circle, sophomores Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake Central) and Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic) have led the way. Certa tops the team with a 1.45 ERA over 29 innings of work with 24 strikeouts to one walk. Gatchell is second on the team with 13 Ks and a 2.86 earned run average.

First pitch of tomorrow's doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. at Inspiration Field, which had turf installed earlier this academic year. A live stream of the game, along with the link to live stats can be found on the softball schedule page of iwusports.com.

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