WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Indiana Wesleyan Softball went on the road to Grace College to begin Crossroads league conference play on Tuesday. The Wildcats took game 1 from the Lancers by a score of 9-2 and then decisively won game 2, 13-4. IWU has now won 6 straight and 5 of the 6 have been decided by at least 7 runs.
The Wildcats dominated from the start as reigning NAIA Player of the Week,
Whitney Waddell crossed home plate for the first run in the 1st inning.
Isabelle Beidelschies started the game pitching with two straight 3 batter innings. IWU would add some run support for her by scoring 2 runs in four straight innings, highlighted by
Brylee Bilger sending two different pitches over the fence, one in the 3rd and another in the 6th. Freshman
Natalee Packard finished the game in the circle, not allowing Grace to make a comeback.
Game 2 was more domination as the Wildcats scored in the first 3 frames, including a 9 run 2nd inning.
Whitney Waddell stayed hot with a double to open the game followed by a
Maddie Martin single that allowed
Brylee Bilger to hit yet another home run on the day for 3 runs. The 2nd inning saw 9 runners cross home for IWU from a barrage of singles. For extra support,
Emma Wiberg picked up her first RBI of the season with a SAC fly that scored
Malayni Clemens in the 3rd inning.
Avery Toole picked up the win for her third in a row.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Winona Lake, Indiana / Coach Phil Dick Field
- Records: IWU 9-5 I GC 6-10
- Game One Score: IWU def. GC 9-2
- Game Two Score: IWU def. GC 13-4
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
- IWU took the lead early on with 1 run scored in the 1st inning as Maddie Martin brought home Whitney Waddell with a single to center field.
- Beidelschies started off well in the circle with a 1-2-3 first inning and a three batter 2nd.
- The 3rd inning saw a Brylee Bilger 2 run home run to center field to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
- A Morgan Yeater bases loaded single brought home 1 runner, and another run scored on a Martin fly out in the 4th inning.
- Grace would score their only runs of the game in the 4th with a 2 run home run to right field.
- Back-to-back doubles from Leah May and Alexis Thompson to start the 5th scored May. Thompson later scored to make it 7-2 on a single from the reigning NAIA player of the week, Whitney Waddell.
- IWU extended their lead once more in the 6th with Bilger's second home run of the day, this one a solo shot. Courtney Thomas would cross home as the final run of the ball game courtesy of a Sara Ruble SAC fly.
- After 6 quality innings, Beidelschies gave way to Natalee Packard who shut the door on the Lancers in the final inning and the Wildcats won 9-2.
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
- IWU scored in the 1st inning once more when Brylee Bilger hit another ball over the fence to plate 3 runs. Bilger has now hit a home run in 4 straight games.
- 6 different Wildcats registered a hit in the 2nd inning and 9 runs crossed home plate. Waddell picked up the first RBI, Bilger brought home 2 runs with a single, Courtney Thomas singled to score Martin, Leah May brought home the next run, an error allowed Thomas to score, Sara Ruble was able to drive home May with a single, and Danica Fuller finalized the scoring with a double to center field that plated the last 2 runs of the inning.
- In the 3rd, Emma Wiberg brought home Malayni Clemens with a SAC fly to left field to make the score 13-0.
- Grace would score 4 runs in the bottom of the 4th.
- Natalee Packard finished the game in the circle once again for IWU and the Wildcats walked away with the sweep of the Lancers.
KEY WILDCATS
NEXT TIME OUT
- IWU hosts Spring Arbor for the 2026 home opener on Friday, March 13th at 3:00 PM.
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS
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