JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team squeaked out a split Illinois College Wednesday, March 26. The Titans (7-5) came back to edge the Lady Blues (9-9), 2-1, in game two after dropping the first game, 7-0.

Game One: Illinois College 7, Illinois Wesleyan 0
Illinois College found gaps with hard hits in the bottom of the first, jumping ahead 4-0, before tacking on two more in the second. 

Trailing 7-0 after four innings, junior Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) doubled to leadoff the fifth. A walk put two on with nobody out and freshman Ella Hermes (Peru, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) singled to load the bases. Illinois Wesleyan's threat stalled there though, as a pair of popouts and a strikeout stranded three.

Sophomore Annika Brown (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) registered a hit in the top of the seventh, but IWU could not string anything together as the Titans fell, 7-0.

Illinois Wesleyan was outhit 5-4 in the opener, with Hermes going 2-for-3 at the plate in the game. Hermes took the loss in the circle, while fellow freshman Maddie Pool (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton Warrenville South) struckout a career-high eight over 5.0 innings of relief.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 2, Illinois College 1
Coming to the plate with runners on second and third in the sixth, junior Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) came through with a clutch two-out double. Post's poke drove home seniors Ava Koury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) and Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) and pushed the Titans ahead, 2-0.

IC answered with a leadoff homer to cut the IWU lead in half, 2-1, but junior Gianna Certa (Grayslake, Ill.-Grayslake North) promptly retired the next three batters to keep the Green and White's lead intact.

Certa slammed the door in the seventh with three flyouts to preserve the 2-1 victory and secure a split.

The Green and White outhit the Lady Blues, 8-6, in the game with Kuhn leading the way. The senior went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while six other Titans registered hits.

Certa tossed a complete game in the circle, allowing six hits. She struckout six and did not issue a walk as she boosted her record to 4-1.

Illinois Wesleyan hosts its first of two straight weekend tournaments this Saturday-Sunday, March 29-30, at Inspiration Field. IWU will welcome Wartburg College, DePauw University, and Lake Forest College to town for a two-day, eight-game tournament in Bloomington. The Titans will kick the weekend off with a 10 a.m. first pitch against Wartburg Saturday, March 29.