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Kimmy Hassel & Jillian Bollard high-fiving
Kodiak Creative
6
North Central (Ill.) NCC 20-17
9
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 24-15
North Central (Ill.) NCC
20-17
6
Final
9
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
24-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
North Central (Ill.) NCC 0 0 2 0 0 3 1 6 12 0
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1 0 0 6 1 1 X 9 12 0

W: Certa, Gianna (11-2) L: Juliana Maude (9-10)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Defeats North Central to Advance in CCIW Tournament

Titans to play at 3:30 p.m. Friday, May 8

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A big fourth inning powered the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team to a 9-6 win over fourth-seeded North Central College on day one of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Thursday, May 7, at Inspiration Field. With the win, IWU (24-15) moves into tomorrow's 3:30 p.m. game, while NCC (20-17) will play in a 1 p.m. elimination game. The victory also marked the 300th in Tiffany Prager's career, with all of them coming at the helm of the Titans.

Sophomore Grace Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) wore the second pitch of the game to put the leadoff aboard in the bottom of the first. She was bunted to second by sophomore Kelsey Bartels (Downs, Ill.-Tri-Valley) and then brought home on an RBI single from senior Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia). 

North Central clapped back with two runs in the third. Starting off the frame with back-to-back singles to right, a two-run single split the game in left-center and gave the visitors a 2-1 edge. Senior Gianna Certa (Third Lake, Ill.-Grayslake North) used a flyout and a lineout to strand two and send IWU back to the plate.

The Titans threatened in the bottom half of the inning as Grace Wilkens drew a one-out walk, but Illinois Wesleyan could not push anything across. Wissmiller worked a count for a base on balls and swiped second to put two into scoring position with two away before a groundout thwarted IWU's plans.

The Green and White responded with a six-run fourth to reclaim the lead. Sophomore Jillian Bollard (Roselle, Ill.-Saint Viator) smacked her second hit of the day to get the ball rolling. Sophomore Julia Wilkens (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) beat out an infield single to bring freshman Isabella Boskey (Huntley, Ill.-Huntley) to the plate with two on and one out. The rookie cranked a double to the wall in right-center to catapult IWU to a 3-2 advantage. A pitching change for NCC followed, but did little to break the Titans' momentum. Sophomore Riley McDoniel (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) put a bunt beautifully down the first-base line to bring home Boskey. After Grace Wilkens' bunt put two on, Bartels weaved a single up the middle for an RBI. Wismmiller closed the inning with a two-run grounder that ricocheted off the NCC pitcher's glove as Illinois Wesleyan charged ahead, 7-2, into the fifth.

Certa stranded a two-out single and the Green and White bolstered its lead with a run in the bottom of the inning. Senior Claire Post (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) singled and Boskey walked to bring up McDoniel. The sophomore sent a 1-1 pitch right back up the middle to score one as Illinois Wesleyan's lead moved to 8-2.

NCC made things interesting with a three-run homer to straightaway center, drawing within three, 8-5.

With two on and two out in the bottom of the sixth, Bollard continued her career day with a run-scoring knock through the left side. Illinois Wesleyan appeared poised for more as sophomore Bella Pinter (LaMoille, Ill.-Saint Bede Academy) drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases, but a strikeout left three out there as the game moved to the seventh with the Titans leading, 9-5.

Certa found herself in a jam in the seventh as North Central churned out three straight hits, with the last one driving in a run. The Cardinals tried to take an extra base on a groundout to second, but Grace Wilkens threw out the runner at home. Certa closed the game with another groundout to seal the win, 9-6. 

The Green and White matched NCC hit-for-hit, 12-12. Bollard and McDoniel turned in multi-hit games, with Bollard leading the way with a 3-for-4 showing. McDoniel went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in the nine-hole. Wissmiller drove in a team-best three as part of a 1-for-2 effort alongside two walks.

Certa went the full seven innings in the circle, striking out four and walking one. The win boosted her to 11-2 on the year. 

Illinois Wesleyan will play at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, May 8, taking on the winner of the Millikin-Augustana game currently taking place. 

 
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