2026 softball seniors (l to r: Gianna Certa, Claire Post, Casey Wissmiller, Caroline Gatchell, Anna Beckman)

Softball Stares Down Four-Game Weekend

Titans travel to Augie, host North Park for Senior Day

4/9/2026 12:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Before hosting its annual Senior Day, the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team will travel to Augustana College for a twin bill Friday, April 10. The Titans will then return to Inspiration Field Saturday, April 11, as host to North Park University. First pitch in Rock Island, Ill. is set for 4 p.m Friday, while Senior Day is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch Saturday.

Illinois Wesleyan will recognize seniors Caroline Gatchell (Grayslake, Ill.-Carmel Catholic), Anna Beckman (Bourbonnais, Ill.-Bishop McNamara), Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia), Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West), and Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) prior to first pitch of Saturday's double feature against NPU. Together, the group has led IWU to 95 wins, three College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season titles, two CCIW Tournament Championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances, an NCAA regional title in 2025, and one NCAA super regional appearance.

The Green and White heads into the weekend sporting a 14-10 overall record, highlighted by a 4-0 start to CCIW play. IWU most recently took both ends of a doubleheader at Wheaton, April 3. The Titans won game one by a 10-3 score before recording a five-inning 8-0 victory to complete the sweep. Augustana holds a 5-12 standing ahead of Illinois Wesleyan's visit to Carver Field. Augie has had a tumultuous start to the year, but has momentum after a split with No. 17 UW-Whitewater, April 7. AC bounced back from a game one setback to down the Warhawks, 6-5, in eight innings to grab a split. Augie has just two CCIW games under its belt after a league twin bill was postponed and sits at 0-2 in CCIW play after being swept by Millikin, April 3. North Park is 10-12 on the season and 2-2 in conference competition. NPU most recently hosted Carthage, April 8, falling in a pair of tight contests, 3-2 and 4-2.

Post holds the team lead with a .414 batting average and is third on the team with 12 RBIs. Sophomore Grace Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) and Wissmiller join her with batting averages north of .300. Wilkens is hitting a career-best .347 with 25 hits and a team-high 18 runs scored. She also leads the team with 13 stolen bases in 16 attempts. Wissmiller paces the roster with 26 hits and is tied with freshman Isabella Boskey (Huntley, Ill.-Huntley) for the team-high in RBIs (15). Not to be overlooked, sophomore Kelsey Bartels (Downs, Ill.-Tri-Valley) is batting .404 on the year while emerging as a consistent bat in the lineup.

In the circle, Illinois Wesleyan's pitching has continued to strengthen as the year has progressed. Junior Mallory Holland (Shelbyville, Ill.-Shelbyville) leads the group alongside Certa and Gatchell. Holland holds a team-best 2.12 earned run average over 11 appearances with three complete games in six starts. Certa has a 2.33 ERA over a team-leading 60 innings in the circle. She leads the team with 13 appearances and is second with 34 strikeouts. Certa and Holland are tied atop the team with four wins apiece. Not far behind, Gatchell is 3-3 on the year with a 3.28 earned run average. She has punched out a team-best 35 over 47 innings. In all, the six-person pitching staff has compiled a 2.98 ERA on the year and a 1.35 mark through four league games.

IWU and Augie have a lengthy history as the 77-game series dates back to 1997. Illinois Wesleyan holds the advantage all-time, 50-27, and has won 14 of the past 15 matchups. The Green and White swept a doubleheader to clinch the CCIW Regular Season Championship April 30, 2025. The Titans tacked on a 4-2 victory in the CCIW Tournament Championship May 10, 2025. Conference foes IWU and North Park are no strangers, having met 58 times ahead of Saturday's bouts. The Titans hold a commanding, 57-1, lead in the series and have won five straight against the Vikings. IWU claimed last year's doubleheader by scores of 9-0 and 2-0 in Chicago April 12, 2025.

The Titans' four-game weekend will begin with a 4 p.m. first pitch Friday, April 10, at Augie. Saturday's twin bill will start at 1 p.m., with Senior Day recognitions scheduled to take place prior. Links to the live streams and live stats of each contest can be found on the softball schedule page of IWUsports.com.

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