The UW-Whitewater softball team swept a doubleheader against Wheaton College Saturday afternoon taking the first game 3-1 and the nightcap 8-4. The Warhawks improve their record to 14-6 overall and Wheaton falls to 14-12 on the season. 

Game One Box
Game Two Box
Photo Gallery

Game One Notes
Wheaton struck first in game one with a run crossing the plate from third after a throw down to second hit the runner and bounced into center field. In the bottom of the third, Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) lead off with a single and moved to second when Shauna Binsfeld (Cedarburg/Grafton) walked. A sacrifice bunt from Amanda LeBeau (Worth, IL/Richards) put both runners in scoring position. Lauren Cruz (Des Plaines, IL/Maine West) homered on the next pitch to give Whitewater the 3-1 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the game. A defensive battle ensued for the last three and one half innings with just three hitters reaching first base.

Mertes led the Warhawks offensively going 2x3 from the batter's box. Cruz brought in all three runs in the game with her third homerun of the season. 

Junior lefthander Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) went the distance on the mound picking up her sixth win of the season striking out eight while allowing just one walk and three hits. 

Game Two Notes
The defensive battle that ended game one continued on through the first three innings of game two. However, the bats came to life in the bottom of the fourth for Whitewater. 

A lead-off homerun by Courtney Baldwin (Spring Grove, IL/Richmond-Burton) scored the first run of the game. LeBeau drew a walk and was brought in with Cruz's second homerun of the day. Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) flew out to left field but back to back singles by Alli Driscoll (Beloit/F.J. Turner) and Jordyn Gaza (Mundelein, IL/Carmel Catholic) put two runners on for UW-W. 

Lauren Rankins (Marengo, IL/Marengo) came to plate and doubled down the left field line scoring Driscoll and putting Gaza on third. Binsfeld followed suit with a single to left field and advanced to second on the throw home that came in late. 

With five runs already having crossed the plate, Mertes kept the hits coming with an RBI single to right field bringing in Rankins and moving Binsfeld to third. Mertes' stolen base put both runners in scoring position for Baldwin, who had originally started the inning. Baldwin came through with a single that scored both runners giving the Warhawks an 8-0 lead. 

LeBeau singled in her second at bat of the inning but a pop out and fly out ended the bottom of the fourth.

Wheaton came back scoring a run in the top of the fifth and sixth innings bringing the score to 8-2. Sammy Kessler (Northbrook, IL/Glenbrook North) relieved Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) on the mound and picked up two quick strikeouts. The Thunder held their ground and refused to give in using a couple of hits and a Warhawk error to their advantage bringing in two. UW-W stifled Wheaton's come back on a ground ball to second that ended the game with Whitewater on top 8-4.

Baldwin led the 'Hawks from the plate going 2x2 with a homerun and three RBIs. Cruz notched her fourth homer of the season to bring in two runs.

Boyle picked up her third win on the hill for Whitewater after allowing six hits, striking out three and not giving up a free pass to the Wheaton hitters. 

The Warhawks are set for doubleheader action in a rescheduled matchup against UW-Oshkosh Tuesday, April 13 beginning at 3 p.m.

For additional information: Brenda Volk