MARION, Ind. -- No. 18-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University and Bethel (Ind.) split a softball doubleheader on Tuesday at Wildcat Field. Bethel won the opener 4-3 while Indiana Wesleyan salvaged the split with an 8-0 win in six innings in game two.

In the first game, neither team scored until Indiana Wesleyan plated three runs in the fifth inning. Amanda Brunner (SR/Miamisburg, Ohio) smoked a hard hit single to score Allison Bexell (JR/Avon, Ind.) for the first run of the game. Emily Hastings (SO/Riverside, Ill.) followed with an RBI double and a Cierra Liddick (FR/Marion, Ind.) ground out scored Amber Roth (FR/Shipshewana, Ind.) for the 3-0 lead.

Bethel answered with a two run, two out single in the sixth as the IWU lead was 3-2 after six innings. In the seventh inning, Bethel opened with back-to-back singles. Following a fly out, Katie Claxon drilled a two run double to put Bethel on top 4-3. In the home half of the seventh inning Amanda Brunner led off with a double. But Indiana Wesleyan stranded the runner with two fly outs and one strikeout as Bethel claimed the 4-3 win.

Haley Nixon (FR/Bristol, Ind.) suffered the loss in relief. She allowed two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings. Starting pitcher Janessa Guevara (JR/Lathrop, Calif.) pitched 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Sam Hemming (SR/Russiaville, Ind.), Alex Springer (FR/Fort Wayne, Ind.), and Brunner all had two hits, including one double, in the game.

In game two, the Wildcats opened the scoring in the second inning with a three spot, with all the action happening after two outs were recorded. With the bases loaded and two outs, Hemming drove a ball to center field where the Pilot CF dropped the fly ball and all three runners came around to score.

Alex Springer connected on a two run single in the sixth inning for a 5-0 cushion. In the sixth inning, Cierra Liddick hit a grounder to second base but an error on the play led to Olivia Rasmussen (SO/Des Moines, Iowa) and Kelsey Kooistra (FR/Grand Rapids, Mich.) scoring. Kaylynn Rosen (FR/Huntington, Ind.) came to bat and drove home Hemming for the eighth run of the game to force the mercy rule.

Nixon earned the victory with a complete game effort. She scattered four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in 6.0 innings.

Indiana Wesleyan had eight hits from seven different players. Sara Kreitzer (SO/Ashland, Ohio) led the team with a two hit performance. Springer drove in two runs while Kooistra crossed the plate twice.

Indiana Wesleyan returns to action tomorrow with a doubleheader against Marian (Ind.) at Wildcat Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. between the top two teams in the Crossroads League standings.