BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Sophomore Julia Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) delivered a walk-off hit to lift the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team to a sweep of Calvin University Friday, March 27, at Inspiration Field. The wins boost IWU to 9-7 on the season, while Calvin dips to 11-7.

Game One: Illinois Wesleyan 3, Calvin 2
Calvin struck first with one run on two hits in the top of the third. A one-out single came around to score on a double to the right-center gap as the Knights charged ahead, 1-0.

Sophomore Grace Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) started a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning with an infield single as the lineup returned to the top. Sophomore Kelsey Bartels (Downs, Ill.-Tri-Valley) reached with a walk in a lengthy quality at bat. With Bartels earning an 11-pitch walk, Grace Wilkens sneakily swiped third to put runners on the corners. Senior Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) took full advantage of the RBI situation, smoking a single right back up the middle to level the score at one. 

After Calvin reclaimed the lead with a solo shot to center, 2-1, Illinois Wesleyan packed the bases in the fourth. Sophomore Ella Hermes (Peru, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) walked to leadoff the frame and senior Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) singled to left. Sophomore Riley McDoniel (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) beat out an infield knock, but a strikeout and a popout left the Green and White with nothing to show for it. 

The Titans refused to come away empty in the fifth, manufacturing two runs. Bartels beat out a bunt down the third-base line and senior Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara) singled to put two on. Sophomore Jillian Bollard (Roselle, Ill.-Saint Viator) drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases. After coming up empty the inning prior, IWU used a wild pitch and heady baserunning to plate two runs. With a pitch loose, Bartels dove across home plate safely, but the ball ricocheted off her, and Beckman did not hesitate to give Illinois Wesleyan a 3-2 edge.

Senior Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) worked around a baserunner in the sixth to keep IWU's one-run lead intact. The veteran slammed the door in the seventh, striking out two before a popout wrapped up the win.

The Green and White tallied eight hits to the Knights' five. Grace Wilkens went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Beckman put together a 2-for-4 showing in the cleanup spot. 

In the circle, senior Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic) and Certa teamed up to fan seven without allowing a walk. Gatchell threw the first four innings, fanning four, while Certa earned the win after dazzling through the final three frames without allowing a hit.

Game Two: Illinois Wesleyan 6, Calvin 5
A leadoff bunt-single and a four-pitch walk put junior Mallory Holland (Shelbyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) in an early jam. The right-hander battled back from down 2-0 to register her first strikeout of the evening for out number two. The Knights loaded the bases with an infield single but a diving stop by Beckman in the five-six hole saved a run from scoring. Holland induced another grounder to escape the inning unscathed as Beckman scooped and fired to first to strand three.

Calvin led the third off with back-to-back singles to push across the game's first run. A double down the right field line was followed by a run-scoring knock to left. The Knights' Natalie Bush rocketed a single to the left-center to bring home another run as the CU lead grew to 2-0 with nobody out. A groundout was followed by a great defensive play by Holland, as the junior pitcher flipped to home for Bollard to apply the tag. The Knights tacked on one more run in a first-and-third situation to move ahead, 3-0.

Illinois Wesleyan stranded two over the next two innings, while Calvin picked up an insurance run in the fifth. An error gifted the Knights a baserunner, who came around to score on a double. Holland once again buckled down, ending the inning with a strikeout to strand a runner on second. 

Trailing 4-0, Grace Wilkens worked an eight-pitch at bat for a free pass with two outs. Bartels followed with a double to put two in scoring position for Wissmiller. The senior met the moment, smacking a grounder back up the middle for two RBIs. Calvin elected to go to the bullpen, which tempered the Titans with a strikeout to send the game to the sixth with the Knights clinging to a 4-2 lead.

After a sacrifice fly gave Calvin a three-run cushion, 5-2, Post uncorked a solo homer over the left side of the center field wall. The roundtripper, Post's 16th of her career, clawed IWU back within two, 5-3. 

Bartels raced down the line for a single to start a Titan rally in the seventh with Wissmiller coming to the plate. The hot-hitting third baseman delivered a two-run moonshot over the centerfield wall to level the score at five all. Beckman kept the rally rolling with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Bollard bunted her to third to set the table for Julia Wilkens late-game heroics. Wasting no time, she dropped a walk-off single into left-center to bring home Beckman.

Both teams finished the game with nine hits, with four different Titans notching two each. Wissmiller drove in four runs as part of a 2-for-4 showing, and Julia Wilkens went 2-for-2 at the plate. Bartels and Post also notched two hits apiece.

In the circle, Holland got the start but left with a no-decision. She threw 5.0 innings with five strikeouts, scattering seven hits while allowing four runs. Freshman Hannah Burns (Charlestown, Ind.-Charlestown) closed the game, throwing the final two frames and coming away with the win. 

Illinois Wesleyan returns to action tomorrow, March 28, with games against No. 19 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Wartburg College. IWU will face UWO at 10 a.m., with first pitch against Wartburg set for 4:45 p.m.