The Millikin softball team won both games of a doubleheader against Carthage College on April 19 at the Workman Family Softball Field in Decatur, Illinois. The Big Blue secured the first game in walkoff fashion, finishing with a 5-4 win.
This result is important for Millikin as it demonstrates their ability to come from behind and secure victories late in the game.
In the opening game, Carthage took an early lead after Gwen Hendrick doubled to score Clare Rettler in the first inning. Olivia Hristov then hit a three-run home run in the third, putting Carthage ahead by four runs. Millikin responded when Ann Marie Meek hit a two-run homerun in the bottom of the third. Abbey Matthews added another run with a double that brought home Brianna Denault, and later tied the game by scoring Emily Kobel. With the score tied at four in the seventh inning, Summer Wynn delivered a single that allowed Abby Willis to score and clinch the walkoff win for Millikin.
Charley Condill and Matthews each recorded two hits out of three at-bats during game one. Alyssa Dralle pitched a complete game for Millikin, striking out two batters for the win.
In game two, Meek doubled to bring home Condill for an early lead. Although Carthage evened up with Rettler’s RBI single, Meek answered back with her second home run of the day—a solo shot—increasing Millikin’s advantage. Ava Zukowski’s double scored Denault in the fourth inning while Kailyn Coates singled to bring Willis home in the fifth. In Carthage’s final comeback attempt during seventh inning play, Kobel caught a line drive and completed an unassisted double play to end any threat.
Meek and Coates again led offensively with two hits each from three at-bats during game two. Abby Wilken was credited as winning pitcher after allowing only three hits over five-plus innings; Dralle earned a save by recording one strikeout.
Millikin will next travel to North Central College in Naperville on Saturday, April 25 for another conference matchup.
