McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team is gearing up for an important weekend as they play host to Wheaton College and Elmhurst University. The games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 18-19, at Inspiration Field in Bloomington, Illinois.

The Titans' first game against Wheaton College is set for 1 p.m. on Friday, April 18, and will be part of the team's Mental Health Awareness initiative. Following this, Illinois Wesleyan will face Elmhurst University on Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m., marking the Senior Day event.

Currently, Illinois Wesleyan boasts a 19-7 record with a perfect 4-0 start in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Recently, they secured two close victories at Millikin. Wheaton College heads into the weekend with a 12-16 overall record, having a conference standing of 2-6. They recently claimed a doubleheader sweep against Eureka. Meanwhile, Elmhurst holds a record of 6-19-1, recently splitting two games against Rockford.

Key players for Illinois Wesleyan include seniors Jen Kuhn and Ava Khoury, who lead the Titan offense with impressive batting averages and RBIs. Other notable contributors are juniors Claire Post and Casey Wissmiller, along with freshmen Bella Pinter and Grace Wilkens. The Green and White's pitching staff showcases depth with standout performances from junior Gianna Certa, freshman Maddie Pool, and sophomore Mallory Holland.

Historically, Illinois Wesleyan has held strong records against both Wheaton and Elmhurst. They lead the series against Wheaton 52-9 and have won their last 10 encounters. Against Elmhurst, IWU has a 44-12 record since 1997 and has won six consecutive games after a sweep by the Bluejays in 2021.

Live stats and streams of the upcoming games can be accessed through the softball schedule page on iwusports.com.