UPLAND, Ind. – The No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan softball team used a huge seventh inning for the come-from-behind 13-6 victory in the opener. The Wildcats were in control early of game two and notched a 12-5 win in the nightcap win over Taylor. The 25 combined runs helped IWU remain undefeated in league play.


 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Upland, Ind.
• Records: IWU 17-3 I Taylor – 11-11
• Game One Score: IWU def. TU 13-6
• Game Two Score: IWU def. TU 12-5 
• NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU – 16 I Taylor – Unranked

 
 

 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• Down 1-0 in the third, Sadie Harding singled in Morgan Yeater, who had walked and swiped second base. 
• IWU took the lead in the fifth. Yeater started off the inning by doubling to left. Two batters later, Brylee Bilger doubled her home. After Kamryn Buck reached on an error, she swiped second to put two in scoring position. Abby Harvey laced a single, driving in Bilger and Buck for a 3-1 advantage.  
• Taylor responded with five runs in the sixth for the 6-3 lead.
• Ella Phillips came in as a pinch hitter and led off the seventh with a single. Sara Ruble pinch ran for her and moved to second on a base knock from Bilger. Buck's base hit to right plated Ruble. An error on the second baseman allowed Bilger to cross home while Makenna Waddell's bunt single loaded the bags. Becca Wyatt's infield single drove in Buck, knotting the score at 6-6. Leah May reached on an error, allowing Harvey to score for a 7-6 advantage. 
• Leading 9-6 with only one out and the bases loaded, Bilger launched a grand slam to straight-away center field for a 13-6 margin. 
• For the game, Bilger and Yeater had three hits apiece while Waddell and Wyatt notched two hits each. Bilger led everyone with five RBI. Harvey drove in two. Bilger and Yeater each crossed home three times in the win.
• In the circle, Alyssa Wagner gave up six runs in six innings of work. She had four strikeouts and picked up the win. Alayna Thomas worked the seventh inning, securing the victory. 

 

 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• In the third, Chloe Tragesser singled and moved to second on Yeater's base knock up the middle. After Sadie Harding blasted a single through the right side of the infield, driving in two.
• Tied at 2-2 in the fourth, Chloe Poe was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Becca Wyatt base knock. Zoe Fountain reached on a fielder's choice, loading the bags. Yeater singled in Poe and Wyatt for a 4-2 advantage. Moments later, Bilger's sacrifice fly pushed the score to 5-2.
• Up 5-3 in the fifth, Poe blasted a two-run home run. After a Wyatt double, Fountain tripled her home. Two batters later, Yeater singled up the middle, plating Fountain for a 9-3 advantage. Bilger's RBI single gave the visitors a seven-run margin.
• Leading 10-4, Bilger belted a two-run home run down the left field line for a 12-4 lead.
• Bilger, Wyatt and Yeater had three hits apiece. Bilger had a huge game, driving in six runs. Yeater plated three runs while Poe knocked in two runners. Harding had a pair of hits, including a double. Yeater crossed home three times while Fountain, Poe and Wyatt trotted home twice each.
• Emma Etter-Cox worked five innings to pick up the victory. She struck out two in the win. Thomas threw the final two frames and had a pair of strikeouts for the Wildcats.

 

NEXT TIME OUT

 

 

• The Wildcats return to action Friday when they travel to No. 5 Marian University for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.
• Live video and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com.

 

FOLLOW THE WILDCATS

 

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