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Ella Hermes hitting at Linfield
© AshtinElder
0
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 37-8
2
Winner Linfield LIN 42-5
Illinois Wesleyan IWU
37-8
0
Final
2
Linfield LIN
42-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Illinois Wesleyan IWU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Linfield LIN 1 0 1 0 0 0 X 2 4 1

W: McNeley, Tyler (29-2) L: Holland, Mallory (8-2)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Drops Super Regional Opener at Linfield

Game two set for tomorrow, May 23, at 2 p.m. PT

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Making its return to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2019, the 20th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University softball team went toe-to-toe with sixth-ranked Linfield University Thursday, May 22, at Del Smith Stadium. The Titans (37-8) saw its win streak snapped at 25 with a 2-0 setback to the Wildcats (42-5) in the first game of the best of three series. 

Junior Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara) notched IWU's first hit of the day on the first pitch she faced with one away in the opening inning. Beckman swiped second to move into scoring position, but was ultimately stranded.

Linfield struck first with a one-out double off the right-center fence to score a runner from second. The Wildcats led off the inning with a single, but sophomore Mallory Holland (Shelbyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) promptly got the force out at second on a grounder back to the circle before LU notched the RBI two-bagger to grab a 1-0 lead.

Holland ran into trouble in the third inning, as Linfield put its first two batters aboard and appeared primed to break the game open. The sophomore pitcher stood strong though, striking out LU's Brynn Nelson for the innings first out. The strikeout was just the 16th of Nelson's career and just her fourth over her past 114 games. Flashes of the leather by senior Jen Kuhn (Normal, Ill.-University High) and junior Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) held Linfield to one run.

Trailing 2-0 into the fourth, Kuhn roped a double off the fence for a near homer to stroll into second standing up. IWU was unable to capitalize on the leadoff knock though, as the senior shortstop was left stranded.

Illinois Wesleyan came up with some clutch plays in the bottom half of the frame as junior Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) threw out a runner, Holland induced a popup, and junior Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic) fanned a lefty batter to send the game to the fifth.

Singles by freshman Ella Hermes (Peru, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) and Post once again gave the Green and White a scoring opportunity in the fifth, but the Titans came up empty as a long winding fly ball was caught in foul territory and a bang-bang play went against IWU. 

The Titans mounted one more scoring chance in the seventh, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. Freshman Bella Pinter (LaMoille, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) and Hermes roped back-to-back singles with one away, but a shallow flyout and a groundout thwarted the comeback as IWU fell, 2-0.

The Green and White outhit the Wildcats, 6-4, with Hermes putting together a 2-for-3 day. 

In the circle, Holland took the loss and dropped to 8-2 on the season. She went the first 3.2 innings, striking out two while allowing two runs on four hits. Gatchell took the reins for the final 2.1 innings, fanning one in a hitless showing out of the bullpen.

Illinois Wesleyan will look to bounce back tomorrow, May 23, needing to win two to punch its ticket to the NCAA Division III Softball National Championship. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.

 
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