OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The No. 6-seeded Illinois Wesleyan softball team advanced to the 2018 NCAA Division III Softball National Championship series on Sunday, May 27, after splitting a two-game series with No. 5-seeded Luther College. Luther won game one, 5-2, to force the elimination game, but IWU bounced back to seal a 5-1 victory in the day's final game.

With a win, the Titans improved to 39-12-1 and will face defending national champion Virginia Wesleyan University in a three-game series for the title. No. 1-ranked Virginia Wesleyan advanced to the title series with a 1-0 victory over Ithaca in the day's first game. The final series will begin on Monday, May 28 at 1:00 p.m. from OGE Energy Field at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. Go here for links to live streaming and stats
This is the furthest Illinois Wesleyan has ever advanced at the NCAA Softball Championships, with their previous best placing being a third-place finish during the 2003 season. For a complete list of Illinois Wesleyan softball, postseason results go here.
In game two, sophomore Ally Wiegand (19-4) pitched her 16th complete game of the season to help the Titans advance to the National Championship series. Wiegand allowed just three hits and one earned run while striking out four batters. The Downs, Ill. native cut down 13 straight batters at one point before Luther earned two hits in the final frame.
Courtney Cooper (13-5) got the start in the circle for Luther pitching 6.1 innings and allowing eight hits, five runs (four earned), and two walks. Cooper was relieved by game one's starter, Samantha Bratland who recorded the final two outs.
Sophomore Sam Berghoff opened the scoring for IWU in game two, providing the Titans with the only offense they would need. The first-team All-American lined her 13th home run of the season to right field to give the Titans a 2-0 lead in the third inning.
Junior Jillian Runyon, who scored earlier on Berghoff's blast, gave the Titans a 3-0 lead in the seventh on a single up the middle that scored sophomore Kara Bischoff. In the very next at-bat, sophomore Sydney Alery blew the doors off and gave IWU a 5-0 lead with a two-run double that scored Runyon, and senior Amanda Lack.
In game one, sophomore Brea Walker (12-5) started in the circle for Illinois Wesleyan, but was tagged for five hits and two earned runs over three innings en route to the loss. Senior Mackenzie Marquis came on in relief of Walker pitching four innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, and three walks, while striking out two.
 
Luther's Bratland (28-6) was the winning pitcher as she threw a complete game allowing seven hits, two runs (one earned), and one walk, while striking out one.
 
After a pair of scoreless innings in game one, the Norse struck first as Anna Strein hit a two-run home run to right centerfield in the top of the third inning. IWU attempted a two-out rally in the home half of the third with back-to-back singles from sophomore Courtney Barrett and Runyon, but were unable to bring either around to score.
 
Luther added to their lead in the fifth scoring three runs on a pair of singles and a walk to take a 5-0 lead over the Titans. The Norse retired eight straight Titans batters prior to a single from Runyon in the sixth.
 
After a walk by Alery, IWU scored their first run of the game off a sacrifice fly to left by Berghoff that scored Runyon from third. The Titans followed up with a two-out RBI single from senior Delaney Olinger in the bottom of the seventh, resulting in the game's final score of 5-2.

Information provided courtesy of Illinois Wesleyan Athletics.