Softball huddling in between games vs Carroll

Audrey Peterson

Softball Travels to DePauw for Final Regular Season Twin Bill

First pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. ET

4/29/2026 3:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team takes to the road for its final games of the regular season Thursday, April 30, as the Titans trek to DePauw University for a non-conference twin bill. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at DePauw Tigers Field.

Illinois Wesleyan enters the double feature with a 25-11 record on the season. The Titans most recently claimed the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season Championship with sweeps of Carroll and Carthage, April 25-26. DePauw sits at 20-14 on the year and has bounced in and out of the NFCA Top-25 throughout the year, their first under the direction of Gabby Smart. The Tigers came out on the wrong side of a sweep at Muskingum, April 26, dropping the games by scores of 9-1 and 10-2 in six innings.

The Green and White offense features five individuals batting better than .350 on the year, led by sophomore Kelsey Bartels (Downs, Ill.-Tri-Valley). In her first season as a Titan, Bartels is batting a team-best .422 with 35 hits, 20 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. Seniors Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) and Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara) follow at .380 and .370, respectively. Wissmiller is tied with sophomore Grace Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) for the team-high with 41 hits. Wissmiller has led the power production, pacing IWU in RBIs (33), homers (6), and doubles (6). Beckman tops the team with 21 stolen bases and 17 walks alongside 37 hits and 29 runs scored. Grace Wilkens' 30 runs scored are the most on the team, while she is one off Beckman with 20 swipes. Post rounds out the group with a .368 batting average and is second on the team with 24 driven in.

Illinois Wesleyan has relied on a veteran trio in the circle as seniors Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) and Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic), as well as junior Mallory Holland (Shelbyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) have eaten up 213.2 of IWU's 233.2 innings this season. Certa stands at 10-2 with a 1.69 earned run average. She has nine complete games, six shutouts, and a save to her name. Certa has thrown a team-high 95 innings with 77 strikeouts. Holland is second on the team with a 1.83 ERA, while Gatchell's 53 K are second-most.

The Titans and Tigers share a storied history that dates back to 1999. IWU defeated DePauw, 6-1, when the two tangled March 29, 2025 at Illinois Wesleyan's home tournament. Maddie Pool (Wheaton, Ill.-Wheaton Warrenville South) snagged the win, while Holland earned a save. Beckman went 2-for-4 with a pair driven in to pace the offense.

First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at DePauw Tigers Field. The games will be live streamed with live stats also available through links on the softball schedule page of iwusports.com.

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