MARION, Ind. – The No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan softball team split a doubleheader on Senior Day. The Wildcats notched a 5-3 victory over Taylor in the opener before dropping a 4-1 contest to the Trojans in the second game of the day.

 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Marion, Ind.
• Records: IWU 31-8, 21-5 I TU 22-16, 14-10
• Game One Score: IWU def. TU 5-3
• Game Two Score: TU def. IWU 4-1 
• NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - #16 – TU - Unranked

 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• IWU jumped on top with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Morgan Yeater recorded an infield single and stole second. With one down, Brylee Bilger singled in Yeater. Abby Harvey's single pushed Bilger to second base with two down. Becca Wyatt singled to second base, pushing Bilger and Harvey across home plate for a 3-0 advantage.  
• TU scored a run in the top of the sixth, making it 3-1.
• Still up 3-1 in the bottom half of the sixth, Chloe Poe singled up the middle and Courtney Thomas entered as a pinch runner. She promptly stole second and scored on Wyatt's base hit down the right field line. Wyatt moved to second on a passed ball and scampered to third base on Zoe Fountain's grounder. A sacrifice fly by Chloe Tragesser allowed Wyatt to score for a four-run margin.
• The visitors scored two runs in the top of the seventh and threatened to knot the contest, but Alyssa Wagner re-entered the game and shut the door on the Trojans.
• IWU was paced by Yeater's three hits in four trips to the plate. Harvey and Wyatt tallied two hits apiece. Wyatt led everyone with a three-RBI performance.
• In the circle, Wagner registered every out. She gave up one run and had five strikeouts in the victory. Emma Etter-Cox worked part of the seventh inning and gave up two runs.

 
 

 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• IWU broke the scoreless contest in the fifth inning. Amanda Cope registered a pinch hit double to the gap in left center field. Sara Ruble entered the game for Cope and scored on Wyatt's base hit up the middle.
• Leading 1-0 entering the seventh frame, Taylor University plated four runs and held on for the three-run victory.  
• IWU recorded eight hits in the contest – by seven different student-athletes. Wyatt had a pair of hits. Cope, Tragesser, Wyatt and Carli Merrit all had doubles while Wyatt drove in the lone run. Kamryn Buck, Maddie Martin and Yeater also garnered hits. Ruble scored the lone run for the team.
• In the circle, Alayna Thomas tossed six innings. She gave up three runs on five hits and had a strikeout. Alyssa Wagner finished the seventh stanza. She gave up a run on a hit and recorded a strikeout.

NEXT TIME OUT

 

 

• The Wildcats return to action Tuesday when they host Goshen College for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
• Live video and stats 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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