MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University softball swept Taylor (Ind.) in the IWU-TU Rivalry Game sponsored by Marion General Hospital. The wins increase the season-long with streak for the Wildcats to 16 games as they are one of three teams atop the Crossroads League standings with two losses.

Game Vitals

• Score Game 1:  Indiana Wesleyan - 3   |   Taylor - 2
• Score Game 2:  Indiana Wesleyan - 8   |   Taylor - 0   (5 innings)
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan 26-6, 14-2 Crossroads League   |   Taylor 14-16, 5-9 Crossroads League
• NAIA Top- 25 Rank:  Indiana Wesleyan - Receiving votes   |   Taylor - Not ranked
• Location:   Wildcat Field   |   Indiana Wesleyan University   |   Marion, Ind. 

What Went Down (Game 1)

• Indiana Wesleyan scored first with two runs in the second inning. Haley Nixon (SO/Bristol, Ind.) crushed an RBI triple and Kelsey Kooistra (SO/Grand Rapids, Mich.) followed with an RBI single. The rally started after the first two batters of the inning were retired.
• IWU added a very important run in the fifth inning to go up 3-0. Amber Roth (SO/Shipshewana, Ind.) grounded out to shortstop as Jenny Sharpe (SR/Dayton, Ohio) scored on the play.
• Haley Nixon took a shutout into the seventh inning but Taylor rallied with two outs in the final inning. Justice Carmichael hit a double to deep center to plate two runs for a 3-2 score.
• Carmichael was left stranded as Lauren Ehle lined out to Kelsey Meyers (SR/Brea, Calif.) at first base to end the game.
• Haley Nixon earned the victory with two runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings. Nixon improves to 12-4 on the season.
• Kelsey Meyers, Haley Nixon, and Kelsey Kooistra each had two hits. Kaisey Carson (JR/Avon, IN) and Gabby Bogear (SR/Sacramento, Calif.) each drew a pair of walks.
  
   

What Went Down (Game 2)

• Indiana Wesleyan struck early with an Alex Springer (SO/Fort Wayne, Ind.) RBI single in the first inning for a 1-0 lead.
• The Wildcats poured it on in the fourth inning with seven runs on five hits as IWU led 8-0.
• Alex Springer and Abby White (SR/Georgetown, Texas) opened the fourth inning scoring with RBI singles. Springer later scored on an error that allowed Gabby Bogear to reach first base. Lauren Buckley (FR/Centennial, CO) and Kelsey Kooistra followed with RBI singles.
• Kaisey Carson had the big hit in the inning with a two-run double that hit off the top of the fence but stayed in the ballpark.
• Carlie Weaver (SO/Brownsburg, Ind.) entered in the fifth to pitch the final inning. She allowed a single walk to close out the 8-0 mercy rule victory.
• Kaisey Carson (7-1) earned the win with no runs on two hits in 4.0 innings of work. She walked two and struck out three.
• Kaisey Carson and Alex Springer were each 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Kelsey Meyers was the third Wildcat to contribute two hits in the win.
  
   

Next Time Out

• Indiana Wesleyan returns to action on Thursday at 2 p.m. with a doubleheader at Mount Vernon Nazarene in Mount Vernon, Ohio.