McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team, ranked No. 25, opened their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) play with a split doubleheader against Millikin University on April 10. The Titans secured a 6-0 victory in the first game but fell 8-3 in the second, resulting in an overall record of 14-7 (1-1 CCIW), while Millikin stands at 14-10 (2-2 CCIW).

In the first game, junior Jen Kuhn initiated IWU's offense in the second inning. Despite reaching second base due to a sacrifice bunt, Kuhn was left stranded as the score remained tied at zero into the third inning. Freshman Hailey Milgazo contributed defensively with a double play that kept Millikin from scoring.

Sophomore Anna Beckman sparked IWU's offense with a two-out rally in the third inning, eventually scoring to give the Titans a 1-0 lead. A significant fifth inning saw IWU extend their lead to 6-0 through three hits and two errors by Millikin. Sophomore Gianna Certa closed out the game with her pitching performance, improving her season record to 7-2.

In contrast, the second game saw Millikin take control early with four runs in the second inning. Despite Kuhn's three-run home run for IWU, they were unable to close the gap and ended up losing 8-3.

The Titans are set to continue their CCIW campaign on April 13 against Elmhurst University.