GOSHEN, Ind. – The No. 17 Indiana Wesleyan softball team cruised to a 13-1 five-inning victory in the opener at Goshen College. The Wildcats overcame an early six-run deficit by scoring nine runs over the final four innings to claim a 10-8 win in the nightcap, completing the sweep.


 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Goshen, Ind.
• Records: IWU 20-4, 11-1 I GC 15-7, 4-4
• Game One Score: IWU def. GC 13-1 (5 innings)
• Game Two Score: IWU def. GC 10-8
• NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - #17 I GC - Unranked

 

 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• Morgan Yeater led off the game with an infield single and swiped second base. Two batters later, she moved to third on Brylee Bilger's single to the gap in left center field. Kamryn Buck registered a base knock, plating Yeater. Abby Harvey doubled in Bilger. With two away, Becca Wyatt doubled home Buck and Harvey for a 4-0 lead.
• The Wildcats added to the lead in the third. Buck singled, moved to second on a throwing error and hustled to third on Harvey's single through the left side of the infield. Buck hustled home on Makenna Waddell's sacrifice fly, giving IWU a 5-0 advantage. 
• The Wildcats stayed hot offensively in the fourth inning. Zoe Fountain posted a single through the right side and stole second. Ella Phillips doubled down the line, knocking in Fountain. Moments later, Sadie Harding belted a two-run round-tripper over the center field fence to make it 8-0. Buck's groundout allowed Arie Hackett to score, who came in as a pinch runner for Bilger after she notched a double.  
• Up 9-0, Yeater doubled home Chloe Thomas in the fifth. Harding continued her solid day, singling in Yeater. Bilger concluded the Wildcats' scoring with a two-run home run down the left field line.
• For the game, Bilger and Harvey had three hits apiece. Harding drove in three runs while Bilger, Buck and Wyatt drove in two runs each. Bilger, Buck, Harding and Yeater each scored twice. 
• Alyssa Wagner got the start and worked four innings in the circle. She had a pair of strikeouts. Alayna Thomas came in for the fifth and retired the side on four pitches. 

 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• Bilger doubled in Harding with one away in the top of the first. However, GC would score seven straight runs before the Wildcats got back on the board in the fourth.
• Buck singled to lead off the inning and two batters later, Chloe Poe blasted a two-run homer to left field.
• Chloe Tragesser doubled open the fourth and moved to third on a single by Yeater. Two batters later, Bilger crushed an offering down the left field line for a three-run dinger. Buck doubled to right field and moved to third on Abby Harvey's single. Poe's base hit to left knotted the score at 7-7. A fielding error put Wyatt on first and allowed Harvey to race home.
• Tied at 8-8 in the sixth, Yeater was the catalyst once again, starting the frame off with a single. After stealing second, she scored on Harding's base knock to center field. Harvey knocked in Courtney Thomas with a base hit to right field, pushing the score to 10-8.
• For the game, Bilger, Buck, Harvey, Poe, Tragesser and Yeater had two hits apiece. Bilger and Poe hit round-trippers. Bilger led the way with four RBI while Poe added three. Buck and Yeater each crossed home twice.
• In the circle, Emma Etter-Cox got the start and worked 2.1 innings. Makenna Waddell tossed 2.1 frames and had a strikeout. Wagner came in and worked the final 2.1 innings to get the win.

NEXT TIME OUT

 

 

• The Wildcats return to action Thursday when they play at Bethel University (Ind.) 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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