Illinois Wesleyan 2006 Softball Stories

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May 19
Senior first baseman/pitcher Katie Frawley was named "Most Valuable Player" for the 2006 Illinois Wesleyan softball team. Frawley hit .353 and was 10-1 as a pitcher with a 1.05 earned run average, the lowest in a single season in IWU history. Sophomore second baseman Ashley Deck won the "Brass Plate" and "Gold Bat" award while sophomore catcher Katie Dobry earned the "Most Improved Player" honor. For the complete story, click here. The Titans finished with a 32-12 overall record, marking the sixth time in the last seven years to win 30 games or more.

May 11
Illinois Wesleyan senior first baseman/pitcher Katie Frawley and junior shortstop Molly Coers were elected to the second team of the all-District Five squads as part of the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American program. Only first team selections advance to the national ballot for consideration for the Academic All-America honors. Frawley was chosen as a utility player. She had a 3.92 grade-point average as a political science and economics major, while Coers was chosen as an infielder. A second team selection last year as well, she is an accounting major with a 3.90 GPA.

May 10
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore second baseman Ashley Deck was chosen to the first team and senior first baseman Katie Frawley was named to the second team of the all-Great Lakes Region squads for Division III softball, named by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Deck led the Titans with a .413 average and also in slugging percentage, hits, triples, sacrifice hits and tied with Frawley with four home runs. Frawley's .353 average was fourth on the team and she led the Titans in RBI and doubles, was second in triples and slugging percentage, and was third in both runs and hits.

May 8
Illinois Wesleyan senior first baseman Katie Frawley, junior pitcher Lauren Hyland and sophomore second baseman Ashley Deck were named to the first team of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin all-star squads, selected in voting by league coaches. Junior shortstop Molly Coers and senior outfielder Natalie Hackett were named to the all-CCIW second team. Go here for complete information on all-CCIW softball teams.

May 7
Illinois Wesleyan went 2-2 in finishing second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament May 5-6 in Rock Island. In Saturday's play, the Titans avenged an earlier loss with a 7-0 win over Millikin, then lost a 3-2 decision to Augustana as the Vikings scored twice in the seventh and once in the eighth. In the win over Millikin, the Titans had 15 hits, including two doubles by Kayla Kindred. Laura Johnson had two hits in the opener and two of IWU's five hits in the nightcap. Despite finishing with a 32-12 overall record, the Titans were not among the 59 teams chosen for the NCAA Division III tournament.

May 5
The No. 24-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team split its first two games in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament on Fri., May 5 in Rock Island. The Titans downed North Central, 5-1, after losing earlier in the day to Millikin, 3-2. Stephanie Gockley had a homer and a double with two RBI to back the five-hit pitching of Katie Frawley, who improved to 10-1 as the team improved to 31-11. In the earlier game, Molly Coers and Natalie Hackett each had two hits and Michelle Bradley drove home the two IWU runs with a fourth inning double. IWU will play at 10 a.m. Sat., May 6 against Millikin or Augustana.

May 3
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team improved to 30-10 with a doubleheader split against the University of Chicago on Wed., May 3 at IWU. Lauren Hyland allowed only six hits in the first game as IWU lost, 1-0. Katie Frawley pitched a two-hitter as IWU won game two, 3-0. Natalie Chase and Kendahl McIntyre each drove in a run for the Titans in the second game as all three IWU runs came with two outs. The Titans are the No. 2 seed in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament (tourney web site) and play No. 3 Millikin at 10 a.m. Fri., May 5 at Rock Island. Augustana (No. 1 seed) will play No. 4 North Central in the other first round CCIW tourney matchup.

May 2
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team, ranked No. 24 in the latest NCAA Division III national poll, took a 9-3 victory at Eureka on Tues., May 2. The Titans improved to 29-9 overall and will host Chicago in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Wed., May 3. Molly Coers had four hits and Ashley Deck drove in four runs in the win. Deck, Laura Johnson, Natalie Hackett and Kendahl McIntyre each had two hits in the win.

April 25
Katie Frawley has been chosen “Pitcher of the Week” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. The senior from Oswego, N.Y., was 4-0 (all complete games) with three league wins. She had an earned run average of 1.50 and batters hit only .208 against her as she allowed 22 hits in 28 innings and struck out 10. She also helped herself by hitting .379 last week with five doubles, a home run and seven runs batted in. The Titans (28-19, 12-2 CCIW) host Chicago in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Sat., April 29.

April 23
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team improved to 28-9 overall and 12-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin after two wins at Elmhurst on Sun., April 23. The Titans won game one, 3-1, as Lauren Hyland allowed five hits and struck out four and was supported by Stephanie Gockley with three hits and two RBI. Ashley Deck also had two hits in the win. In game two, Katie Frawley improved to 8-1 with a three-hitter as IWU won, 2-0. Deck was two-for-three with a double and a triple.

April 22
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team took a pair of College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin games at Wheaton on Sat., April 22, winning 7-6 in 16 innings and taking the nightcap, 4-2. Kendahl McIntyre had three hits and two runs batted in in the first game (including the go-ahead RBI in the 16th) and Laura Johnson also had three hits to back the complete game pitching of Lauren Hyland. Kayla Kindred had three hits and a stolen base and Katie Frawley improved to 7-1 on the mound in the second game. The Titans are 26-9 overall and 10-2 in the CCIW while Wheaton is 19-17,5-7 CCIW. IWU plays two at Elmhurst on Sun., April 23.

April 19
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team swept a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader from North Central, winning by scores of 9-8 and 6-2 on Wed., April 19, in Naperville. Ashley Deck went four-for-five and drove home four runs in the first game with a home run and a double. Lauren Hyland improved to 12-7 with the pitching decision. Deck had two more hits, including a double, in the second game. Stephanie Gockley had two hits and two runs batted in. Katie Frawley (6-1) was the winning pitcher as she struck out four and allowed only six hits. Molly Coers scored three times in the first game and once in the second. The Titans improved to 24-9 overall and 8-2 in the CCIW while North Central is 20-12, 5-5 CCIW.

April 18
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team improved to 22-9 with a home nonconference doubleheader sweep of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Tues., April 18, taking the first game, 5-3, and the nightcap, 4-3. Lauren Hyland and Katie Frawley pitched complete games for the Titans as Hyland (11-7) scattered 11 hits while giving up three earned runs and striking out seven in the first game and Frawley (5-1) struck out six and allowed seven hits and two earned runs in game two. Frawley hit a solo home run in the first game and she, Stephanie Gockley and Laura Johnson each had two hits. In game two, Gockley drove in two runs, and Frawley and Molly Coers each had an RBI. IWU travels to North Central today for a 3 p.m. College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin doubleheader.

April 15
The No. 25-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team split a doubleheader with Central (Iowa) on Sat., April 15, in St. Louis. Natalie Hackett hit a two-run home run in the second inning of game two to give the Titans a 2-1 win after they had lost the first game, 3-2. Katie Frawley improved to 4-0 as she held Central (22-8) to five hits, striking out two and walking two. IWU, now 20-9 overall, trailed 3-0 in the opener when Katie Frawley hit a two-run homer in the sixth to cut the margin to 3-2. Lauren Hyland was the losing pitcher as she scattered five hits and struck out six Central batters in going the distance.

April 13
Illinois Wesleyan improved to 19-8 and snapped a six-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep over Monmouth at IWU Field on Thurs., April 13. Lauren Hyland struck out eight and walked one in the first gameas the Titans claimed an 11-3 win. Michelle Bradley cracked a two-run home run, and Natalie Hackett drove in three runs in a six-inning game halted by the eight-run rule. Ashley Deck and Stephanie Gockley each had three hits, while Deck and Bradley had two RBI each. Katie Frawley struck out two and walked one in the nightcap as IWU won, 4-2. Kelly Nelson hit a two-run home run, and Bradley and Deck had one RBI each while Kayla Kindred saved two runs with an outstanding defensive play in leftfield.

April 11
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team dropped a pair of College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin games at Augustana on Tues., April 11, falling 3-2 in nine innings in the first game and 2-0 in the nightcap. The game was scoreless through eight in the opener until Kendahl McIntyre  hit a two-run double to account for IWU's offense. Augustana plated three in the bottom of the inning off losing pitcher Lauren Hyland, who struck out nine and scattered eight hits. The Titans got 10 hits but stranded eight runners in the nightcap. Katie Frawley allowed only four hits in the loss for IWU, who falls to 17-8 overall and 6-2 in the league. Augustana improved to 19-6, 4-0 CCIW.

April 9
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team lost two more games in the IWU Tournament on Sun., April 9, falling 1-0 to Washington U. and 5-4 to Maryville. In the first game, Washington U.'s Laurel Sagartz struck out a school-record 17 batters to shut the Titans out. In the second game, Maryville's Brianne Haas hit a pair of homers including the gamewinner in the seventh. IWU's Ashley Deck, Kelly Nelson and Monica Urban each had two hits and Deck knocked home a pair of runs. IWU is 17-6 overall.

April 8
Porous defense cost the Illinois Wesleyan softball team two games on Sat., April 8 at the IWU Tournament in Bloomington. The Titans (17-4) committed three errors that led to four unearned runs in a 4-3 loss to Maryville, then committed three more miscues as six of seven runs were unearned in a 7-5 loss to Fontbonne. Michelle Bradley accounted for all the Titan runs in the opener with a three-run homer while Kelly Nelson had two RBI in the nightcap and Kayla Kindred, Katie Dobry, and Katie Frawley each drove home a run.

April 7
Ashley Deck and Stephanie Gockley each had two hits and an RBI to lead the Illinois Wesleyan softball team to a 4-2 win over Hope on Fri., April 7 at IWU Field. The Titans won their 11th straight game and improved to 17-2 this season while Hope fell to 12-6. Lauren Hyland is 9-2 after pitching a six-hitter and striking out seven while walking no one. IWU got four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 1-0 deficit.

April 5
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team won its 10th straight game and went to 16-2 overall and 6-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin with a doubleheader sweep over Millikin at IWU Field on Wed., April 5. The Titans won the opener, 6-0, behind the three-hit pitching of Lauren Hyland. Monica Urban and Molly Coers each had two hits and Urban and Katie Frawley each provided two RBI with Frawley hitting a home run. Frawley went 4-for-4 and Coers was 3-for-4 as the Titans won the nightcap, 5-4. Natalie Chase had two hits and two RBI and Ashley Deck hit a solo home run. Valerie Hackett improved to 6-0 with the mound win. IWU hosts Hope at 3 p.m. Fri., April 7.

April 4
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team improved to 14-2 overall and 4-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin with big wins over North Park on Tues., April 4, in Bloomington. IWU won the first game 17-3 with 15 hits and took the second game, 24-1, with 22 hits. Katie Frawley  hit a grand slam homer in the opener, also had a double and drove in eight runs in the twinbill. In the second game, IWU’s Kendahl McIntyre had four hits, including a double, and five RBI. Molly Coers added three hits and an RBI while Natalie Chase smacked a pair of doubles and drove in four runs. Lauren Hyland and Valerie Hackett were the winning pitchers in each game. North Park fell to 16-10, 0-2.

April 1
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team opened its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin season with two wins over Carthage on Sat., April 1 in Bloomington. Lauren Hyland allowed only a home run in game one as IWU won, 9-1, behind a 14-hit attack. Monica Urban and Ashley Deck each had three hits. IWU (12-2, 2-0 CCIW) had 18 hits in the 10-3 game two win as Molly Coers had three hits and six other Titans had two hits each.

March 28
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore second baseman Ashley Deck has been named "Player of the Week" in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin for the week ending March 26. Deck batted .476 (10 for 21) in eight games with a double and two triples, drove in six runs and scored five time. The Titans were 6-2 in games played in Kissimmee, Fla. in the Rebel Spring Games. Deck had three sacrifice bunts and handled 21 chances in the field without an error (13 putouts and eight assists).

March 24
Illinois Wesleyan's bats provided 22 runs on 27 hits on Fri., March 24, to claim two more wins and finish with an 8-2 record at the Rebel Spring Games at Kissimmee, Fla. Kendahl McIntyre hit a two-run homer as the Titans beat Baptist Bible 11-3 in five innings. Natalie Chase had three of IWU's 17 hits in another 11-3 victory over Colorado College. Lauren Hyland (4-2) allowed one hit and no earned runs vs. Baptist Bible while striking out 10. Ashley Deck had two hits and three RBI to lead the Titan offense. Valerie Hackett (2-0) gave up five hits and struck out two against Colorado College. Kelly Nelson and Stephanie Gockley each drove in two runs.

March 23
Freshman Valerie Hackett pitched a complete game three hitter to lead the Illinois Wesleyan softball team to a 4-0 win over Eastern Connecticut State at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., on Thurs., March 23. Hackett struck out six and walked only two in boosting the Titans' record to 6-1 in the first game of two. Sophomore designated hitter Kelly Nelson drove home two runs and Katie Dobry and Kayla Kindred also provided RBIs. In the second game of the day, IWU managed only five hits in losing, 2-0, to Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Freshman Monica Urban collected two hits and stole a base.

March 22
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team split a pair of games at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., on Wed., March 22, beating Eastern Connecticut State, 10-2, after falling to Otterbein, 3-2 in eight innings. Katie Frawley had a two-run double in game one, but IWU committed three costly errors in their first loss. IWU (5-1) scored seven runs in the fourth inning of game two, led by Stephanie Gockley's pinch-hit, bases-loaded triple. Molly Coers, Natalie Chase and winning pitcher Frawley each had two hits to help her own cause. Alison Winters had two RBI with a pinch double while Kayla Kindred, Monica Urban and Chase each drove in a run.

March 21
Junior Lauren Hyland (Evergreen Park HS) has been named "Pitcher of the Week" in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin for the week ending March 19. Hyland had a win and a save in the Titans' first two games as she struck out seven and allowed five hits in a 2-0 complete game shutout of Ramapo on March 19 at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. She also earned a save as she pitched two scoreless innings of relief in IWU's 5-2 win over Pacific Lutheran, striking out five and allowing only one hit.

March 20
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team won a pair of extra inning games at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., on Mon., March 20. The Titans downed Washington & Jefferson 2-1 in eight innings and beat Allegheny 13-12, also in eight innings. Lauren Hyland was the winning pitcher in both games, striking out seven in game one and winning in relief in game two. Freshman Monica Urban and Ashley Deck each had two hits in the opener and Urban had four hits and Kelly Nelson had three hits and three runs batted in to lead the Titans, who are 4-0. IWU plays Otterbein and Eastern Connecticut on Wed., March 22.

March 19
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team opened its season with wins over Ramapo (2-0) and Pacific Lutheran (5-2) in the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla.,on Sun., March 19. Lauren Hyland pitched a four-hit, seven-strikeout shutout in the opener and earned a save in game two, fanning five in the last two innings. Against Ramapo. IWU managed just three hits, but Michelle Bradley drove in runs in the second and fourth innings. In game two, IWu trailed 2-0 in the first but scored three in the bottom of the first en route to the win. Katie Frawley had a double among her two hits and drove in three runs, and pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.

March 15
Complete story,  IWU 2006 season preview
First-year coach Lloyd Hulit takes the reins of an Illinois Wesleyan team that finished 20-18 overall and 5-9 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and aims to restore the tradition that produced five straight 30-win seasons (2000-04) and four NCAA Division III tourney appearances (2000-03). The Titans open the season Sun., March 19 in the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla, playing Ramapo at 8:50 a.m. and Pacific Lutheran at 12:30 p.m. Among the key returning players is junior shortstop Molly Coers, a first team all-CCIW selection who hit a team-high .375 with 45 hits and 17 stolen bases.

January 4
Under the direction of new head coach Lloyd Hulit, the Illinois Wesleyan softball team opens its 2006 season March 19 against Ramapo (N.J.) at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla. The Titans will play 10 games during their Florida trip and will open College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play at home against Carthage on April 1. IWU, with 14 players returning from last spring, was 20-18 overall and 5-9 in the CCIW last season.