Indiana Wesleyan University

COLUMBUS, Ga. - After a day off due to inclement weather at the field, Indiana Wesleyan Softball took on the top seed Madonna University on Saturday morning in the 2026 NAIA Softball World Series, falling 6-3 against the no. 1 team in the nation. With the loss, the Wildcats were forced to play a second game in the evening against the no. 10 seed British Columbia. However, after two scoreless innings, the game was called due to lightning in the area and will be resumed tomorrow, the 24th, at 1:00 PM.

In the first game, the Crusaders started strong against IWU with a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Wildcats would tie the game at 1 in the top of the 2nd after a Leah May RBI single. After two scoreless innings, IWU took the lead after Madonna committed two errors in one play that gave Sara Ruble the opportunity to score all the way from first base. In the following at-bat, Courtney Thomas batted in Danica Fuller and put the red and gray up 3-1. The top seeded team in the tournament showed off their strength by putting up 5 runs in the next inning to go back up 6-3. The Wildcats attempted to comeback but were unable and moved into the loser's bracket.

In the second game of the day for the Wildcats, they took on the Thunderbirds of British Columbia but the game was called due to continuous lightning in the area and will be picked up in the top of the 3rd inning with the score tied at 0. Play will resume at 1:00 PM.



THE ESSENTIALS

• Location: Columbus, Georgia / South Commons Complex
• Records: IWU 41-14 (30-6) | MU 49-4 (19-1)
• Game One Score: MU def. IWU 6-3
• Game Two Score: Tied at 0-0 in the top of the 3rd inning before play was suspended.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Madonna kicked off the scoring with a run in the bottom of the 1st inning.
• Leah May singled in the top of the 2nd that drove in Emma Wiberg and tied up the game at 1.
• Neither team could crack the scoreboard in the 3rd or 4th innings.
• IWU took the lead in the top of the 5th with some help from two Madonna errors as Sara Ruble crossed home after starting at first base on the play. Danica Fuller came in later to score on a Courtney Thomas bunt and the Wildcats were up 3-1 after 5 innings.
• However, the Crusaders did not quit and came back with 5 runs in the bottom of the 6th to go up 6-3 and finished it out in the top of the 7th.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 21, 2026

• Game 1: No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan def. No. 9 Marian, 4-3 (8 Innings)
• Game 2: No. 4 Mobile def. No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake, 9-1
• Game 3: No. 3 Southern Oregon def. No. 6 Cumberlands (Ky.), 4-2
• Game 4: No. 7 College of Idaho def. No. 10 British Columbia, 4-3

Friday, May 22, 2026

• Game 5: No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake def. No. 9 Marian, 10-2

Saturday, May 23, 2026

• Game 6: No. 10 British Columbia  def. No. 6 Cumberlands (Ky.), 2-1
• Game 7: No. 1 Madonna def. No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan, 6-3
• Game 8: No. 2 Southeastern def. No. 7 College of Idaho, 3-1

Sunday, May 24, 2026

• Game 9: No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan vs. No. 10 British Columbia - Rain Delay, Top of the 3rd / Resume at 1:00 PM
• Game 10: No. 7 College of Idaho vs. No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake - 2:30 PM
• Game 11: No. 2 Southeastern vs. No. 3 Southern Oregon - 4:30 PM
• Game 12: No. 1 Madonna vs. No. 4 Mobile - 6:30 PM

Monday, May 25, 2026

• Game 13: Game 12 Loser vs. Game 10 Winner - 1:00 PM
• Game 14: Game 11 Loser vs. Game 9 Winner - 4:00 PM
• Game 15: Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner - 7:00 PM

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

• Game 16: Game 13 Winner vs. Game 14 Winner - 4:00 PM
• Game 17: Game 15 Loser vs. Game 16 Winner - 7:00 PM

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

• Game 18: Game 15 Winner vs. Game 17 Winner - 5:00 PM
• Game 19: Game 18 Winner vs. Game 18 Loser - IF Necessary

NEXT TIME OUT

• IWU will resume play against British Columbia tomorrow at 1:00 PM.

FOLLOW THE WILDCATS

• Follow Athletics (@IWUWildcats): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Follow Softball (@IndWesSoftball): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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