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The Illinois College softball team beat Illinois Wesleyan University in the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday in Bloomington, handing the No. 3-ranked Titans just their second loss of the season. The Lady Blues won the opener, 5-4 in eight innings, before dropping the second game, 10-2 in five innings.
Paige Cullison went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the eighth inning, in the first game for the Lady Blues.
Alese Speckhart limited the Titans, ranked No. 3 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III rankings, to four runs on 13 hits over eight innings of work to earn the pitching win.
Courtney Kwasnitza had two hits and Brittany Fanella hit a two-run home run for the Lady Blues in the victory.
After Cullison's two-run double put the Lady Blues ahead in the top of the eighth inning, IC shortstop
Emily Hawkins turned a key unassisted double play and recorded the final out on a groundout as the Lady Blues allowed just one run in the inning.
"Earlier this week we challenged our team to not accept being mediocre. Today we stepped up to that challenge and beat a great team," said Illinois College head softball coach
Meghan Roman. "Alese did a great job on the mound to hold a strong Titan lineup while our bats stayed hot.
"I'm excited to see where we will go and what we will accomplish as a team this year."
Kwasnitza had two more hits and an RBI in the second game.
Jaci Forsythe had a hit and an RBI. Leah Shumaker suffered the pitching loss after allowing six runs over the first two innings.
Illinois College is now 7-8 overall this season. The Lady Blues host Missouri Baptist University Thursday at 3 p.m. The game will be the team's first home game this season.
