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Softball’s Twin Bill at NCC Moved to Tuesday

Doubleheader moved up due to anticipated inclement weather

3/30/2026 1:45:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team will return to action one day earlier than previously planned as the Titans doubleheader at North Central College has been moved to Tuesday, March 31. First pitch of the twin bill, originally scheduled for Wednesday, is now set for 12 p.m. at NCC.

Illinois Wesleyan makes the trip to the suburbs looking to right the ship amid a three-game skid. The Titans are 10-10 overall, but enter the week off three tight losses. Similarly, North Central carries a 6-8 standing into Tuesday's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener. The Cardinals will return to action for the first time in more than two weeks, as NCC's last game was a 4-2 loss to Ripon College, March 14.

Four Titans bring batting averages north of .300 into the start of conference play. Sophomore Grace Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) continues to top the team from the leadoff position with her .367 clip. Her 22 hits top the team, while she is second with 10 stolen bases. Seniors Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West), Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia), and Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara) round out the group. Post is hitting .356, while Wissmiler checks in at .323. With a team-high 14 RBIs, Wissmiller is slugging a team-best .452 with two homers and a pair of doubles. Beckman owns a .309 batting average alongside a team-best 12 walks and 12 stolen bases. Her 13 runs scored are second to only Grace WIlkens' 16.

In the circle, the Titans have continued to strengthen as the season progresses. Junior Mallory Holland (Shelbyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) and senior Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) lead the way alongside senior Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic). Holland holds a team-leading 2.65 earned run average over nine appearances. Certa has thrown a team-high 46.0 innings and is limiting opponents to a .244 average. Certa has tossed three complete games and sits at 3-2 on the year. Gatchell's ERA enters the week at 3.09 as the lefty has made a team-high 11 appearances in the circle. She has fanned a team-best 31 over 43 innings.

Illinois Wesleyan and North Central share a lengthy history, having met 80 times since the series began in 1997. IWU leads the all-time tally, 47-33, and has won the past three outings. The Titans swept a doubleheader April 23, 2025 with scores of 7-2 and 8-0 before securing a 6-1 victory in last season's conference tournament, May 8.

First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Shanower Family Field. Links to the live stream and live stats for both games can be found on the softball schedule page of iwusports.com.

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