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Calvin Box Score
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Apr. 17, 2010-- Head coach Jim Kulawiak collected his 600th career win as the North Central College softball team captured the 20th-annual NCC Invitational title Saturday afternoon at Shanower Field. The Cardinals steamrolled Calvin College (Mich.), 9-0, in the opener before rallying for the 5-3 victory over Monmouth College (Ill.) to close out the day.

"It's something you don't stop and think about in the moment, that's something you reflect on when your all done one day," said Kulawiak after the game against Monmouth, pushing his career record to 600-249-3 in 22 seasons at the helm. "As I told the team, that was very nice, I really appreciated it but the No. 1 thing for us right now is to win conference and get an (NCAA) bid. I don't mean to downplay it but that's not where the focus is right now." Coach K is one of just 10 active coaches in NCAA Division III to accumulate 600 career wins.

Eight runs in the final two innings, propelled the Cardinals (24-6) to the five-inning mercy rule  victory over the Calvin Knights (10-12) in the opener.

North Central opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning with Erin Drennan leading off the game with a bunt single. Drennan would advance to second on a Mary Caron sacrifice bunt, later scoring on a wild pitch.

Two straight hits to lead off the frame set the table for a five-run fourth inning. Kara Reid led off with a single, later scoring on a Justine Walker single down the left field line. A Knight fielding error allowed Walker and Kelli Lofgren to score before a Laura Whitfield two-out single brought in two, pushing the Cardinal advantage to 6-0.

A Walker single brought in pinch runner Kristi Lishman in the top of the fifth before a two-out Drennan triple down the right field line brought in Alyssa Rabulinski and Walker, giving North Central the nine-run edge.

Drennan and Walker each collected two hits and drove in two runs to lead the Cardinal offense.

Katie Crawford scattered six hits across five innings of work, earning her second straight shutout while Calvin's Shelby Mast was hit with the loss, allowing nine hits and striking out five.

Monmouth (10-16) jumped to the early lead in game two before the Cardinals' offense came alive, scoring four runs in a two-inning span to hold on for the 5-3 victory to secure the NCC Invitational Championship and Coach Kulawiak's milestone 600th win.

Capitalizing on three hits and a Cardinal fielding error, the Fighting Scots took an early 2-0 lead after one inning of play.

North Central cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the second after Reid blasted an infield single, later scoring on a Monmouth throwing error.

The Cardinals tacked on two more in the third taking advantage of back-to-back singles by Laura Constantine and Drennan to lead off the inning. Whitfield drove in Constantine on a single through the left side while Drennan scored on a wild pitch, giving the home side its first lead of the contest.

The Fighting Scots pushed across a run in the top of the fourth to tie the game before the Cardinals countered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run burst to take the lead indefinitely. Ashley Barry scored the go-ahead run on a Drennan two-out infield single after reaching base on a walk while Constantine plated the game's final run on a Monmouth throwing error.

Constantine finished two-for-three while Drennan was two-for-four with two stolen bases.

Brianna Nelson (4-0) picked up the victory, pitching 5 2/3 innings, striking out three and allowing just one earned run before making way for Holly Roadruck, who recorded the game's final four outs to pick up her third save of the season.

The Cardinals return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 20, traveling to Kenosha, Wis. to face Carthage College in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.