Grace Wilkens, Anna Beckman, & Hailey Milgazo standing in the outfield

ASHTIN ELDER PHOTO

Softball Turns to CCIW Play at North Park

First pitch set for 1 p.m.

4/11/2025 3:15:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team lifts the lid on College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play this Saturday, April 12, as North Park University hosts a twin bill in the Windy City. The two-game set begins with a 1 p.m. first pitch.

The Titans enter the twin bill with a 15-7 overall record. IWU most recently won three of four games in split doubleheaders with Wooster and UW-Eau Claire, April 5-6. North Park is even at 10-10 on the season and 1-1 in league play. The Vikings, who play Millikin prior to hosting IWU, most recently split games with Elmhurst, April 6.

Senior Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) headlines a potent Titan offense with a team-leading .493 batting average. Kuhn also tops the team in hits (37), doubles (10), and RBIs (30). Senior Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) is second on the squad with 21 driven in alongside a .373 batting average. Junior Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) and freshman Bella Pinter (LaMoille, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) are hitting .365 and .355, respectively. Post has 15 RBIs to her name, while Pinter has brought in 14 in her rookie season so far.

Junior Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) and freshman Grace Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) also check in with averages north of .300. Wissmiller is batting .324 on the year, while Wilkens' average sits at .311.

In the circle, Illinois Wesleyan has used its full stable of arms this season. Sophomore Mallory Holland (Shelbyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) has put together a team-best 1.85 earned run average of 22.2 innings and is tied with junior Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) for the team lead with two saves. Certa has thrown a team-high 57.0 innings, compiling an 8-2 record with 37 strikeouts. Freshman Maddie Pool (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton Warrenville South) follows closely with 36 Ks over 40.0 innings of work while limiting opponents to a .192 batting average.

Conference foes IWU and North Park are no strangers, having met 56 times ahead of Saturday's bouts. The Titans hold a commanding, 55-1, lead in the series and have won three straight against the Vikings. IWU claimed last year's doubleheader by scores of 8-0 and 13-4 at Inspiration Field, April 21. Those familiar with IWU softball will see a familiar face in the NPU dugout Saturday, as former all-conference Titan pitcher Natalie Grubczak is in her second season on Katie Anderson's staff at North Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12. Links to live stats and the live stream for the games can be found on the softball schedule page of iwusports.com.

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