CONVERSE, Ind. - The No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan softball team opened the season with a pair of wins Wednesday afternoon over Lourdes University by scores of 11-3 and 8-5. The Wildcats used dominant pitching and powerful hitting in the two victories.


 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Converse, Ind. / Oak Hill High School
• Records: IWU (2-0) I LU (4-2)
• Game One Score: IWU def. LU 11-3 (5 innings)
• Game Two Score: IWU def. LU 8-5
• NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - #14 I LU – Unranked

 
 

 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• IWU took a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first as the squad recorded three round-trippers. Brylee Bilger crushed a three-run homer in her first at bat as a Wildcat. Makenna Waddell blasted a two-run shot while Chloe Poe garnered a solo home run for the six-run advantage.
• Leading 6-2 in the fourth, Zoe Fountain singled, swiped second and scored on a wild pitch moments later. With two on, Bilger doubled home Morgan Yeater and Sadie Harding for a 9-2 cushion.
• With the bases loaded in the fourth, Chloe Poe was hit by a pitch, plating Bilger for the eight-run lead.
• With the bags full in the bottom of the fifth, Carli Merritt came in as a pinch hitter and lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Yeater for the game-winning run.
• For the game, Bilger led the way with two hits, five RBI and two runs scored. Poe and Waddell each drove in two while Yeater scored three times. Bilger and Harding each crossed home twice.
• Alyssa Wagner tossed a complete game in just 78 pitches. She had one strikeout while giving up three runs on three hits in the run-rule victory.

 

 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• Yeater scored on a passed ball in the first inning and a Chloe Tragesser sacrifice fly pushed the margin to 2-1 margin in the second frame.
• Leading 2-1 in the third inning, IWU broke open a close game. With two on, Bilger belted a three-run homer to left center field for a 5-1 edge. Kamryn Buck and Becca Wyatt each had solo round-trippers in the frame.
• LU plated four runs in the sixth to make it 7-5 but the Wildcats battled back and scored a run in the bottom of the frame. Maddie Martin's sacrifice fly drove in Maddie Seitz for the final run.
• For the game, Yeater led the team with two hits, including a triple, while scoring twice. Waddell garnered two hits, drove in one and scored. Bilger led the team with three RBI.  
• In the circle, Emma Etter-Cox worked five innings and had eight strikeouts to get the win. Alayna Thomas worked a frame while Wagner worked the seventh to pick up the save.

 

 

BABINSKI PERSPECTIVE

 

 

• "It was amazing to finally get outside and compete!" said Head Coach Steve Babinski. "Our girls executed a great gameplan offensively, defensively, and on the mound. I loved being able to see our team play selflessly; handing the bat, glove, and ball off to each other. I'm so pumped to see where God will take us as we play for Him and each other!"

 

NEXT TIME OUT

 

 

• The Wildcats return to action when they host Indiana University Southeast (RV) Friday for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
• Live stats and video will be available at IWUWildcats.com.

 

FOLLOW THE WILDCATS

 

• Follow Athletics (@IWUWildcats): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Follow Softball (@IndWesSoftball): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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