McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team has entered the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top-25 Coaches Poll. The team is tied for 25th place following a successful performance at their home tournament, achieving a 2-1 record over the weekend.

The Titans secured two victories against DePauw University on April 6 and 7, enhancing their season record to 13-6 as they prepare for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) games. They are set to face Millikin University at Inspiration Field on Wednesday, April 10, with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. Millikin arrives in Bloomington holding a 13-9 record, including a split in CCIW play after their recent doubleheader against Augustana.

Illinois Wesleyan's offensive lineup has been impressive, maintaining a .361 team batting average. Sophomore Anna Beckman leads with a .500 batting average, complemented by her .854 slugging and .561 on-base percentage. Junior Jen Kuhn follows closely with a .492 average and has contributed 17 RBIs and eight walks. Freshman Hailey Milgazo and sophomore Casey Wissmiller have averages of .484 and .456 respectively, with Wissmiller leading in RBIs (25) and home runs (5).

The pitching staff is anchored by sophomores Gianna Certa and Caroline Gatchell along with freshman Mallory Holland. Certa boasts a 6-2 record alongside a team-best earned run average of 2.35, accumulating 46 strikeouts across seven complete games. Holland has achieved two saves this year while maintaining an undefeated record in the circle at 2-0; Gatchell holds a 4-2 record with 18 strikeouts.

Historically, IWU and MU have faced each other on the field 71 times prior to Wednesday's matchup, with Illinois Wesleyan leading the series at 48 wins to Millikin's 23. In their last encounters during the previous season, IWU swept Millikin in Decatur but was later defeated twice by them in the conference tournament.

Fans can follow Wednesday’s doubleheader through live stats and streaming links available on iwusports.com.