DePauw softball extends win streak to 25 games

Third-ranked DePauw softball improved to 25-1 and extended its win streak to 25 straight after sweeping a doubleheader against visiting Franklin by scores of 10-1 and 17-0 Wednesday. The Grizzlies dropped to 0-12 with the losses.

In the opener, the Tigers scored four in the second, three in the third and three more in the fourth in the game shortened to five innings due to eight-run rule.

DePauw pounded out 11 hits as Rachel Gill, Ashlee Anton, Kelly Schwerzler, Lauren Rees and Emma Minx each collected two. Carolyn Bartlett and Minx each drove in three, while Anton scored three. Gill hit the games' only homer and added a double in the victory. Marlene Russo had two of Franklin's four hits.

Megan Soultz improved to 22-1 after allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in four innings. Kayla Bachek dropped to 0-7 with the loss.

In the nightcap, the Tigers totaled 19 hits and scored five in the first, three in the second, six in the third and three in the fourth.

Gill, Anton and Bartlett each collected three hits, while Rees added two. Gill totaled five RBI with Anton, Bartlett and Rees each driving in three. Tracey Smith totaled two of the Grizzlies' six hits.

Kristin Barrow pitched three innings of scoreless relief of Soultz and improved to 3-0, while Jordan Tichenor dropped to 0-5 with the loss.

DePauw opens Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday with a doubleheader at Centre.

SOULTZ EARNS NATIONAL AND SCAC HONORS

DePauw junior pitcher Megan Soultz has been named the Louisville Slugger/ National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Player of the Week for the second time this season. She also earned Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week distinction for the fourth time this year. The award covered games played from Mach 24 through March 30.

Soultz posted a 6-0 record in leading the third-ranked Tigers to an 8-0 mark at the Gene Cusic Classic. In her eight starts she posted a 0.36 earned run average and struck out 49 batters and walked four in 39 1/3 innings.

In Tuesday's first game win over Illinois Wesleyan, Soultz broke her own DePauw single-season record with her 20th win, while her nightcap victory broke the SCAC mark of 20 set by Rebecca Sanders of Trinity in 2001. Her 12 shutouts this season are already a single-season school record.