FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University softball and host Saint Francis (Ind.) split a doubleheader on Saturday in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Indiana Wesleyan took game one by a 6-4 margin while Saint Francis earned the split with a 3-1 win in game two. Indiana Wesleyan moves to 37-10 this season and 20-8 in the Crossroads League while Saint Francis is now 16-20 and 11-17 in league play.

In the opening game, the Wildcats never trailed as they built a 5-1 lead through four innings. Emily Hastings (SO/Riverside, Ill.) put IWU in front 2-0 with a first inning two run double. Alex Springer (FR/Fort Wayne, Ind.) connected on an RBI double in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Sam Hemming (SR/Russiaville, Ind.) hit a sac fly and Allison Bexell (JR/Avon, Ind.) earned an RBI single to put the Wildcats up 5-0.

The Wildcats took a 5-1 lead into the seventh inning before a Hastings RBI single made it a 6-1 IWU lead. The Cougars scored three runs in the home half of the seventh inning to trim the lead to 6-4 with runners on first and second with two outs. Haley Nixon (FR/Bristol, Ind.) entered to pitch for Carlie Weaver (FR/Brownsburg, Ind.) and struck out the only batter she faced for her fourth save of the season.

Janessa Guevara (JR/Lathrop, Calif.) earned the win for IWU with one run on five hits in 6.0 innings. Hastings ended the game 2-for-4 with 3 RBI while Bexell was 2-for-4 with 1 run and 1 RBI.

In game two, Saint Francis did all their damage in the first inning with three runs off starting pitcher Haley Nixon. Saint Francis took the 3-0 lead into seventh when Indiana Wesleyan finally got on the scoreboard when Kelsey Kooistra (FR/Grand Rapids, Mich.) scored on an error off the bat of Jenny Sharpe (JR/Dayton, Ohio). Springer followed with a single to put the tying run on first base. Hastings stepped to the plate but popped out to second base to end the game.

Nixon allowed three runs on nine hits in 6.0 innings. She walked one and struck out four. Springer accounted for two of the five IWU hits while Sam Hemming was 1-for-2 with two walks.

Indiana Wesleyan returns home to Wildcat Field on Tuesday for their final home date of the season. IWU and Spring Arbor (Mich.) play at 3 p.m.