MARION, Ind. – Indiana Wesleyan Softball matched up with Goshen College on Friday afternoon for a Crossroads doubleheader. IWU was nothing but dominant in game 1, including an 8 run inning in a 14-1 win. Game 2 saw a tough pitching battle which was won by freshman
Avery Toole, who pitched a complete game shutout, and the Wildcats won 3-0.
The Wildcats scored early and often with runs in each inning they batted.
Brylee Bilger and
Alexis Thompson both drove in runs as part of the 3 run 1st. A
Maddie Martin SAC fly and another
Bilger hit produced 2 more runs in the 2nd inning.
Goshen was able to collect one run in the game which came in the top of the 3rd but IWU matched that run in the same frame. The Wildcats would break open the game even further with an 8 run 4th inning, highlighted by a
Maddie Martin grand slam.
It was a tougher game 2 with good pitching on both sides. The 1st inning saw both pitchers produce quick outings with each collecting 2 strikeouts. IWU scored their first 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning as
Sara Ruble and
Danica Fuller recorded RBIs.
Avery Toole showcased her skill in the circle by shutting down the Goshen batters. The lefty made quick work of her opponents, only facing 3 batters in the 3rd through 6th innings. The IWU batters gave her an extra run of support in the 5th and Toole finished the game with no runs allowed.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Marion, Indiana / Sue Bowman Field
- Records: IWU 13-5 (6-0) I GC 8-12 (2-6)
- Game One Score: IWU def. GC 14-1
- Game Two Score: IWU def. GC 3-0
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
- IWU started strong with 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. A Brylee Bilger double produced the first run of the ball game and Alexis Thompson singled to score 2 more.
- Maddie Martin got IWU another run on a SAC fly to left field and then Bilger continued her hot streak with her second double in as many at-bats to give IWU the 5-0 lead.
- Goshen was able to register 1 run in the game and it came in the top of the 3rd inning. However, Whitney Waddell hit a RBI single to gain that run right back in the same frame.
- The 4th inning is when Indiana Wesleyan dominated even more. Goshen walked the first 2 batters and a well-placed bunt from Leah May was able to score pinch runner Emma Wiberg from 2nd base. Another Alexis Thompson double for the year scored 2 runners. After IWU loaded the bases, Maddie Martin walked to the plate and blasted a ball over the left field fence for a grand slam to extend the advantage to 13-1. Courney Thomas finalized the scoring with a RBI double and the Wildcats won 14-1.
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
- Game 2 was a pitching battle between IWU's Avery Toole and Goshen's Camryn Barrows. Both pitchers finished the first inning with 2 strikeouts.
- IWU cracked the 0 on the scoreboard in the 2nd inning courtesy of a Sara Ruble SAC fly that scored Courtney Thomas. One batter later, Danica Fuller singled and drove Leah May home for the 2-0 lead.
- Avery Toole continued to shut down the Maple Leafs with four straight 1-2-3 innings in the 3rd through the 6th.
- In the 5th inning, Maddie Martin added the 3rd and final run for the Wildcats with a single to right field.
- Toole finished out the game with a 1 hit shutout with 5 strikeouts in her 7 innings.
KEY WILDCATS
MARTIN PERSPECTIVE
- "Our offense was on fire the first game and we came out hitting the ball," said the grand slam hitter, Maddie Martin. "Our team is really good at passing the bat to the next person which set me up for my home run. I couldn't do it without them!"
NEXT TIME OUT
- The Wildcats travel to Fort Wayne tomorrow for a doubleheader with Saint Francis (Ind.) at 1:00 PM.
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