INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – No. 12 Indiana Wesleyan Softball went down to Indianapolis to compete in a Top 15 matchup and a battle for the top spot in the Crossroads League against No. 14 Marian University. Marian won game 1, 14-3, in 5 innings. The Wildcats bounced back and returned the favor in game 2, winning 11-2 in 5 innings. In game 2,
Abby Harvey tied the single game record for RBIs! With today's split, Indiana Wesleyan remains atop the Crossroads League standings.
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana / MU Softball Field
- Records: IWU 36-6, 26-4 I MU 35-7, 25-5
- Game One Score: MU def. IWU 14-3
- Game Two Score: IWU def. MU 11-2
- NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - #12 | MU - #14
- Marian controlled this game from start to finish. The Knights put in 4 runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings and then 6 runs in the bottom of the 4th.
- IWU tried to mount a comeback to extend the game by scoring 3 in the top of the 5th but was stopped short and the game ended in 5 innings by a run rule.
- The Wildcats came out firing on all cylinders scoring 3 in the 1st inning by way of an Abby Harvey single that scored Morgan Yeater and Whitney Wadell after a fielding error by the center fielder and then Brylee Bilger put a ball in play that scored Harvey.
- Jordyn Ball started in the circle keeping the Knights scoreless in her first 2 innings of work.
- Harvey continued to pick apart the Marian pitching in the 2nd inning with a grand slam to extend the lead to 7.
- IWU pushed their lead to 9 when, yet again, Abby Harvey earned two more RBIs with a double in the top of the 3rd inning.
- MU answered with a home run in the 3rd to make the score 9-2.
- Ella Phillips gained an RBI with a single to score Courtney Thomas in the top of the 4th and Yeater made two great catches in center field to keep MU from getting on base in the bottom of the 4th.
- The Wildcats scored in all 5 of their innings as Harvey brought home another runner to put her total at 9 tying the record for the highest number of RBIs in a game for a Wildcat! The record was set by Kelsey Meyers in 2016 in a game against Spring Arbor. Both Yeater and Harvey were perfect at the plate and Harvey was a triple away from hitting for the cycle.
- Ball pitched all 5 innings and earned her 20th win of the year!
- "What a fun day with two of the best teams in the nation!" said Head Coach Steve Babinski. "We traded blows, upper cuts, and take down punches and in the end, both teams honored God on a day set aside to remember His sacrifice. I'm so proud of our warrior Wildcats in their fight for each other. I'm a proud papa and I am honored to take this team into any battle!
- The Wildcats play next Tuesday at home against Bethel University starting at 4:00 PM.
- Live video and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com
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