BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team dropped both ends of its home-opening doubleheader against No. 11 Trine University Saturday, March 22. The Titans fell 6-2 in the opener and 6-5 in game two. IWU dipped to 6-4 with the setbacks, while the Thunder climbed to 14-4.
Game One: No. 11 Trine 6, Illinois Wesleyan 2
The Titans fell behind early as the Thunder scored three runs with two outs to jump ahead, 3-0, before IWU had even stepped foot in the batters box.
Sophomore Hailey Milgazo (Poway, Calif.-Poway) ripped a leadoff single into left and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Coming through in the cleanup spot with two outs, senior
Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) whacked a double to left center to pull the Green and White within two, 3-1.
The score remained the same into the third, but Trine appeared ready to bolster its lead. Entering in relief, freshman Ella Hermes (Peru, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) shut that down quickly with a pair of fly balls to escape the inning and strand two.
With Hermes keeping the Thunder at bay, Milgazo's two-out single in the fifth made way for another run scoring opportunity for the home team. Wasting little time, junior Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara) laced the first pitch she was offered to right center for an RBI triple.
Miscues made way for three insurance runs for Trine in the seventh as Illinois Wesleyan fell, 6-2.
Milgazo paced the offense with a 3-for-4 effort and scored both of IWU's runs. Four other Titans notched hits in the loss as both Illinois Wesleyan and Trine finished with seven apiece.
Junior Gianna Certa (Grayslake, Ill.-Grayslake North) started the game and was the pitcher of record, while Hermes threw 4.2 innings in relief. The freshman hurler allowed three hits and struck out two without surrendering an earned run.
Game Two: No. 11 Trine 6, Illinois Wesleyan 5
Trine scored two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings to carry a 6-1 lead into the fifth.
After freshman Maddie Pool (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton Warrenville South) worked around a two-out single, Beckman led IWU's half of the frame off with a single to center. Freshman Bella Pinter (LaMoille, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) walked to put two on with nobody out for the hot-hitting Kuhn. With one swing of the bat, Kuhn pulled the Titans within two, 6-4, as she belted a three-run homer to the opposite field. The inning was thwarted by a pair of strikeouts and a grounder, as the two-run difference held into the seventh.
Pool pitched her way out of a jam in the top of the seventh, stranding runners on the corners with back-to-back flyouts to send IWU back to the plate.
Consecutive singles by Beckman and Pinter brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Kuhn came through with a well-timed fly ball to left, scoring Beckman from third after a wild pitch. The sacrifice pulled IWU within one, 6-5, with one out. Junior Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) followed with a single through the left, but Illinois Wesleyan's rally stalled.
The Titans will look to bounce back this Wednesday, March 26, when they travel to Jacksonville, Ill. for a twin bill with Illinois College. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
