BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – In a non-conference midweek twin bill, the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team split with Coe College Wednesday, April 24. The Titans took the first game 2-1 before falling to the Kohawks, who are receiving votes in national polls, 6-2 in game two. IWU moves to a 22-9 overall record while Coe sits 25-7.

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 2, Coe 1
After an uneventful first inning on both sides, Coe managed to get runners in scoring position on second and third with just one out before a clutch effort by sophomore Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) threw back-to-back strikeouts to end the half inning. Freshman Elyssa Stenger (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic)  kicked off the bottom of the second with a bunt to get on base before sophomore Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) moved her over with a sacrifice bunt. The Titans couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, leaving Stenger stranded. 

The stalemate was finally broken up in the bottom of the fourth when junior Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) ripped a solo homerun to dead center to take the 1-0 lead. 

Coe notched two hits and evened the score at one in the top of the fifth. With bases loaded and two outs, Certa worked back from a 3-0 count to full before forcing a grounder to short for a quick out at second to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, senior Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove) doubled to the fence in the left, before sophomore Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara) moved her over to third with a sac bunt. Kuhn walked on four straight pitches to put runners at the corners with junior Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) coming up to bat. Khoury worked a full count before walking to load the bases but a fly out to center ended the opportunity to jump back out in front in the fifth. 

A three-up three-down sixth inning set the tone for the Titan defense in the seventh as Coe's leadoff batter lined out to Kuhn before freshman Hailey Milgazo (Poway, Calif.-Poway) followed with a diving catch in right to put two away. Certa ended the inning with a strikeout, as Stenger held onto the foul tip to complete the top of the seventh. 

Beckman kicked off the bottom of the seventh, reaching on a hit by pitch. Milgazo flew out to left, bringing Kuhn up to the plate. Staying hot in the game, Kuhn doubled to left center to bring around the speedy Beckman to secure the 2-1 win. 

Kuhn led with two hits and a pair of RBIs in the first game while Fontanetta, Stenger, and Post each had one hit in game one. Certa pitched her 13th complete game of the season to be credited with the win and move to a 12-2 pitching record. Certa allowed only one run on five hits and struckout eight. 

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 2, Coe 6 

A momentum shift in game two saw Coe take an early 3-0 lead through the first two innings. 

IWU got its first run on the board in the third inning, initiated by Beckman singling through the right side before stealing second and advancing to third on a ground out from senior Maya Black (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood). Kuhn landed a double into left center to bring Beckman home to trail by two, 3-1. 

After a single started the fourth inning, sophomore Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic) forced three straight fly balls to get out of the inning, all of which Beckman caught in center field. Senior Bailey Turner (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) kicked off the bottom of the fourth with a single before Stenger advanced her on a sac bunt. Post singled to right to put Turner in scoring position where she would wait for Beckman's single up the middle to come home and set the score at 3-2. 

Coe would pick up three more runs between the fifth and sixth innings to take a hefty 6-2 lead. Coe snagged one hit in the seventh inning but would not be able to maximize on the effort. 

Milgazo cranked a double to left field to start the seventh inning while Kuhn was walked but both would eventually be left stranded as Coe claimed the 6-2 win for game two. 

Beckman and Turner led the second game with a pair of hits apiece while Milgazo, Kuhn, and Post each had one. Beckman and Kuhn had the team's two RBIs. Gatchell pitched 4.1 innings allowing five runs and totaling two strikeouts before getting hit with the loss to drop to a 6-5 pitching record on the year. 

IWU will close out its eight-game home stretch with a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader against Carroll University Saturday, April 27, on Senior Day. Saturday's games are set for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.