McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team is preparing for a crucial weekend as they head to Wisconsin for their final road trip of the regular season. The Titans, bringing a solid 25-7 overall record and an unbeaten 10-0 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) competition, will face Carroll University on Saturday, April 26, in Waukesha. The following day, they will compete against Carthage College on Sunday, April 27, in Kenosha.

Carroll University, currently with a 13-19 record and a 4-8 mark in league play, will be looking to strengthen its position for the conference tournament next month. Meanwhile, Carthage College, holding a 24-10 record and a 10-2 standing in the CCIW, is in contention for the CCIW Regular Season title and the chance to host the league's tournament. Both games are expected to be significant as the regular season nears its end.

The Titans' offense has shown consistent improvement with a team batting average of .345, which ranks third in the CCIW and 46th nationally. Leading the team is senior Jen Kuhn, boasting a batting average of .464, with team-highs in hits and RBIs. Junior Claire Post follows with a .395 average and leads the league in home runs.

On the pitching front, sophomore Mallory Holland and junior Gianna Certa have dominated the circle, combining for 137 of the team's 210 innings. Holland holds an earned run average of 1.53 over 50.1 innings, while Certa has recorded 61 strikeouts over 86.2 innings.

Historically, Illinois Wesleyan holds a favorable record against both Carroll and Carthage. The Titans have a 21-3 all-time record against Carroll and a 62-22 record against Carthage, with significant winning streaks against both.

The games are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Kilgour Field and at 12 p.m. on Sunday. Fans can access live streams and stats through the softball schedule page on the university's website.