FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

WHEATON, Ill. (Apr. 2, 2009)-- The North Central College softball team scored runs in bunches Thursday afternoon; scoring five runs in the final two frames of a 7-4 extra inning win in game one while plating four runs in the opening two innings of game two for the 4-0 victory over Wheaton College, earning the sweep in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener for both teams at Ruth Leedy Field.

Game one saw the Thunder strike first, with leadoff hitter Lesley Guenard scoring the games first run off an RBI single from Amanda Mattocks in the opening frame. North Central countered in the top of the second inning with Erin Drennan leading off the inning with a single to left field. Drennan swiped second base before Kelli Lofgren would drive her home to knot the game at one apiece. North Central would take the lead in the fourth after a Kara Reid groundout allowed Laura Whitfield to score. Wheaton pounced on three Cardinal errors the next half-inning to score three and reclaim the lead before returning the favor in the seventh, as North Central capitalized on two Thunder miscues to plate two runs and send the game into extra innings.

Drennan led off the eighth with a single while Holly Roadruck reached on a fielders choice after the Thunder failed to get the out at second. Next up was Laura Constantine who hit a three-run shot to left center for the Cardinals first home run of the season, giving North Central the 7-4 lead. The bottom of the eighth was three-up, three-down for Wheaton as the Cardinals held on for the win.

Roadruck (3-2) earned the victory, pitching all eight innings and allowing just one earned run while Mandy Brockman (3-7) absorbed the loss, going all eight innings, striking out four and allowing five earned runs.

Drennan led the offense with a two-for-four performance, scoring two runs and finishing the game as the only Cardinal player with multiple hits.

The Cardinals wasted little time in game two, roaring out to the early lead after scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Mary Caron led off the inning with a double before stealing third. With two outs and runners on the corners, Drennan singled through the left side, driving in the game's first run. Reid would clear the bases on a double to left center, giving North Central the 3-0 lead. The Cardinals would plate another run in the bottom of the second off a Katie Pappa single, driving in Constantine for the game's final score.

Brianna Nicholson (4-2) went the distance in the circle for the Cardinals, scattering five hits and striking out three for her second complete game shutout of the young season. Ainsley McCullough (5-2) took the loss for the Thunder; tossing six innings, yielding four runs and striking out three.

Offensively, Caron and Drennan led the Cardinals, each finishing the game two-for-three at the plate.

With the sweep, North Central improves to 8-4 overall and 2-0 in CCIW action while the Thunder fall to 9-11 and 0-2 in conference action, snapping a six-game win streak. The Cardinals return to the diamond on Saturday when they host both Calvin College (Mich.) and the University of Chicago at the North Central Invitational. North Central faces Calvin at 1 p.m. while taking on the Maroons at 3 p.m.