WHEATON, Ill. - The Benedictine University softball team returned to the field for the first time since Florida and split a doubleheader at Wheaton.

GAME ONE: WHEATON 2, BENEDICTINE 1
Benedictine managed only three hits in dropping a pitcher's duel during the opener.

Benedictine struck first in the top of the fourth inning. Nikki Powers opened the scoring by drawing a bases loaded walk to force home a run. Wheaton responded with single tallies in the fourth and fifth to account for the difference.

Melissa Guzior suffered the loss, working four innings.

GAME TWO: BENEDICTINE 11, WHEATON 6
Benedictine scored in six different innings to salvage the split.

Sarah Koch recorded the first of four RBIs in the contest with a one-out single in the top of the first. Stephanie Ruvalcaba extended the lead with a bases loaded walk.

Three runs in the fourth stretched the advantage to 7-1. Chelsea White collected an RBI double in the frame with Tori Walzak adding an RBI single. Koch notched a two-run homer in the fifth following a Wheaton rally to again put some distance between the clubs.

The Eagles mashed 17 hits in the victory. Koch drove home four runs. Erin Kotlarz and Kelly Mieszala set the tone at the top of the lineup with three hits each. Guzior earned the win in the circle with 3.1 innings of relief in place of Eryn Pondo.

Benedictine (6-5) returns to action with a conference opening doubleheader on Saturday at home against Edgewood.