The No. 13 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team split the final home doubleheader of the 2017 regular season Wednesday afternoon against Illinois Wesleyan in non-conference action at van Steenderen Softball Complex.
 
The Warhawks (23-7 overall) downed the Titans (21-11) by a 12-2 score in five innings in the opener before suffering a 14-9 loss in the second game.
 
In the first game, the Warhawks scored three in the first inning, four in the second and five in the fourth to take the game by run rule.
 
Freshman Bella Matthias (Greenfield, Wis./Greenfield) was one out away from her fourth consecutive complete-game shutout, but the Titans hit a two-run homer to get on the board and end Matthias' scoreless innings streak at 27 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four and improved to 10-3 on the season.
 
Senior right fielder Haley Morelli (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) homered for the third straight game and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four runs batted in. Freshman third baseman Meg Cohrs (Elburn, Ill./Kaneland) collected two hits, one walk and two RBI, and junior second baseman Michayla Swanson (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) and sophomore shortstop Kelly Berglund (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) each plated two runs.
 
Sophomore centerfielder Caitlin Catino (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) added two hits and scored two runs, senior first baseman Amy Ricci (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) totaled two hits and scored one run and junior left fielder Mallory Klotz (New Berlin, Wis./West) scored twice.
 
In the nightcap, UW-Whitewater took a 7-4 lead with six runs in the bottom of the second inning, but Illinois Wesleyan responded with six in the top of the third to take the lead for good.
 
Freshman pitcher Dani Biesiada (Lisle, Ill./Naperville North) took the loss, dropping to 3-1 for the year.
 
Ricci tied the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the first with a two-out base hit to center.
 
After the Titans plated three in the top of the second, the Warhawks scored on a fielder's choice and got back-to-back RBI doubles by Klotz and Catino. Two batters later, Ricci doubled home Catino, and another fielder's choice gave the team a three-run advantage.
 
Klotz posted a two-out, run-scoring single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to account for the final margin.
 
UW-Whitewater starts a 10-game road swing Thursday at Carroll. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. in Waukesha.