(Sugar Grove, IL.) - Waubonsee Community College salvaged a split of their home opening doubleheader against Illinois Valley Community College by trouncing the Eagles 11-2 in game two. In the first game Illinois Valley erupted for six runs in the fourth to propel them to an 8-5 victory. The Chiefs moved their overall record to 10-6 with the split, heading into a twinbill versus national power Rock Valley College. The Chiefs are set to host Rock Valley (19-9), the top-ranked NJCAA Division III team in the country, on Wednesday, March 27 beginning at 3:00 p.m. in Sugar Grove.
In game one against Illinois Valley the Chiefs jumped ahead 3-1 as Autumn Sullivan, Alexandra Martin and Jessica Wilson each smacked run-scoring singles in the bottom of the third. The Eagles' big fourth inning was highlighted by a three-run homer to straight away center field by Brenna McCann. Illinois Valley then tacked on another run in the fifth and held off Waubonsee the last three innings for the win. The Chiefs stranded a pair of runners in the fifth and got a run in the sixth on a two-out double by Katie Beebe. Tori Isom drove in a run with a double to left center field in the seventh before the Chiefs' comeback fell short. For the game Waubonsee left 11 runners on base despite tallying 15 hits in the contest. Every Chiefs' hitter in their lineup had at least one hit, with Martin and Beebe each finishing 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the way. Beebe took the pitching loss. dropping her record to 6-3 on the season.
Game two was an entirely different story as Waubonsee scored four times in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead and never looked back. A two-run double to left center field by Beebe and a run-scoring singles by Sullivan and Martin highlighted the inning. Beebe ripped another double in the second inning to drive in another run and Wilson knocked her in two batters later with a single to center to make it 6-1. A double by Alyssa Eby plated Maddie Kawall in the third to give Waubonsee a commanding 7-1 lead. The Chiefs scored four more runs in the fourth to put the 8-runs after five innings slaughter-rule into effect. Kawall slapped a run-scoring single past the Eagle's second baseman to get the scoring started. Moments later, after a walk loaded the bases, Sullivan cleared them off with a shot to center field to make it 11-1. Illinois Valley was able push across a run in the fifth, but left the bases loaded as Chiefs' starter Allyson Johnson induced a ground out to Sullivan as shortstop to end the game.
Sullivan finished the game 3 for 4 with four runs driven in and two runs scored. Beebe went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles, three runs batted in and two runs scored. Wilson was 3 for 3 with a run knocked in and one run scored, and Eby finished 1 for 2 with a double, a run driven in, two walks and two runs scored. Johnson picked up her second win of the season in the circle, allowing nine hits and two runs over five innings of work.