MARION, Ind. – The No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep of Grace College Friday afternoon. The Wildcats notched a 7-4 victory in the opener before posting a 3-1 win in the nightcap. Alyssa Wagner recorded her 600th career strikeout in the 7th inning of Game 2.



 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Marion, Ind.
• Records: IWU – 25-5, 16-2 I GC - 9-15, 5-11
• Game One Score: IWU def. GC 7-4
• Game Two Score: IWU def. GC 3-1 
• NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - #16 – GC - Unranked

 
 

 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• In the bottom of the first, Morgan Yeater singled and swiped second. After a walk to Sara Ruble, Kamryn Buck posted a one-out single, driving in Yeater. Two batters later, a passed ball allowed Ruble to score for a 2-0 advantage.
• GC scored a run in the second and third innings. In the fourth, Chloe Poe singled and Arie Hackett came in as a pinch runner. After a Becca Wyatt single put two on, Zoe Fountain loaded the bases with a bunt single. Chloe Tragesser knocked in two with a base hit. An error allowed Fountain to cross home plate for a three-run margin.
• IWU extended the lead to 7-2 in the sixth. Maddie Martin reached on an error, which allowed Yeater to cross home. Brylee Bilger tripled in Ruble for a five-run advantage.
• GC pulled within three after scoring two runs in the seventh, but Alyssa Wagner closed the door on the visitors.
• Zoe Fountain led the way with a pair of hits while Tragesser drove in a pair of runs. Ruble and Yeater each crossed home plate twice in the win.
• For the game, Wagner got the win. She struck out two and gave up two runs on three hits.

 

 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• Neither team could push across a run until the fifth inning. Tragesser blasted a one-out single to center field. Courtney Thomas entered as a pinch runner and stole second base. After a Yeater single pushed her to third, Poe's sacrifice fly allowed Thomas to cross home plate for a 1-0 edge.
• In the sixth, Ella Phillips registered a one-out single to left field and Fountain came in as a pinch runner. After swiping second base, Abby Harvey's single put runners on first and third base. Hackett entered as a pinch runner and both Wildcats scored on Martin's single to right field.
• For the game, Phillips and Yeater had two hits apiece. Martin drove in two runs while Poe had one RBI.  Fountain, Hackett and Thomas all crossed home in the win.
• Alayna Thomas tossed the first six-plus frames and gave up three hits. Wagner came in with two on in the seventh. The visitors pushed across a run, but Wagner would close out the game for the save. Wagner recorded one strikeout, earning her 600th as a Wildcat.

 

NEXT TIME OUT

 

 

• The Wildcats return to action tomorrow when they host Mount Vernon Nazarene University for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 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

#