The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team returned from Elizabethtown, Ky. with double losses on Sunday, March 20. The Titans took on Trine University and Transylvania University in the double-headed Pioneer Classic, leaving the tournament with 5-6 and 10-2 losses, respectively.
“We didn’t manage to connect this week, but we’re really hopeful for the rest of the season. I’m excited to see where we’ll go from here even though we fell back a bit in this tournament,” said sophomore Isabelle Piwowarczyk.
As of now, the Titans stand at 4-6 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.
Game #1: Trine University
Senior Hayley Earl opened the scoring for the first game against Trine, which gave the Titans a one-up advantage at the bottom of the first inning.
The Thunder clapped back at the top of the second with a pair of home runs that marked the end of IWU’s lead. The Titans managed to keep the Thunder at bay for the remainder of the second inning.
The third and fourth went without scores on either side of the field before the stalemate was broken by Trine. At the top of the fifth, Trine pulled out three runs on two hits with a double and a homer.
Sophomore Megan Fontanetta ran home to close out the bottom of the fifth, pulling the Titans up to a 5-2 deficit.
Photo: Mike Kuhn, IWU athletics
The bottom of the sixth proved to be a hopeful comeback for the Titans. First-year Jen Kuhn whacked a homer that allowed junior Nora Adams to run home. Piwowarczyk pinch ran for Adams, adding another point for the Titans. By the top of the seventh, IWU was hot on the Thunder’s trail at 6-5.
But, the seventh inning yielded no points for either team. The game ended with a narrow 6-5 loss for the Titans as they prepared to take on Transylvania University.
Game #2: Transylvania University
The Titans saw less success and a wider point gap against Transy. IWU fell behind by the bottom of the first inning and never managed to find their footing.
By the bottom of the first, the Pioneers pulled ahead by four points with a three-run homer. The Titans remained scoreless in the second inning, while Transy doubled their advantage.
The Titans finally started to make a dent in the Pioneers’ 8-0 lead in the top of the third inning when junior Mikayla Fairfield and Fontanetta combined for a two-run homer.
Both Transy and IWU saw a standstill in scores until the Pioneers pulled out another two-run hit in the bottom of the sixth, closing out the game at 10-2.
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team will open up Inspiration Field for a doubleheader against Monmouth College at home on Friday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m.