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

BELOIT, Wis. (Apr. 22, 2009)-- The North Central College softball squad allowed just three hits in an 8-0 dismantling of non-conference foe Beloit College, Wednesday afternoon at the Strong Complex. With the win, the Cardinals surpass the 20-win plateau for the 17th consecutive season.

North Central wasted little time, plating a run in each of the first two innings. A Laura Whitfield  double drove in Holly Roadruck to open the scoring in the first while a Alyssa Rabulinski double the following inning, scored Erin Drennan who led off the inning, reaching base on a fielding error.

The Cardinals upped their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning, scoring four runs off three hits, highlighted by a Rabulinski two-RBI double. Whitfield led off the inning with a walk, scoring the next at-bat off a double by Kara Reid. Drennan would reach base on a hit by pitch before Rabulinski's double would drive in both Whitfield and Drennan. Laura Constantine would single to drive in Rabulinski the next at-bat, accounting for the innings fourth run.

In the fifth, North Central tacked on two more runs, enacting the mercy-rule. Drennan and Rabulinski each singled before getting driven home on a Constantine double, pushing the score to 8-0.

Roadruck (10-5) pitched the first four innings, allowing just two hits and no walks before Katie Crawford closed out the final inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.

The Cardinals saw significant production from the bottom of the order as the No. 8 and No. 9 hitters combined to go five-for-six at the plate with six RBIs. Rabulinski and Whitfield each finished the day perfect at the plate, Rabulinski was three-for-three with three RBIs while Whitfield was two-for-two. Constantine finished the game two-for-three with three RBIs and the Cardinals pounded out 10 hits in the game.

With the win, the Cardinals improve to 20-9 while the Buccaneers drop to 10-20. North Central returns to the diamond tomorrow, facing Carthage College at Shanower Field in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader. First pitch for Thursday is slated for 3 p.m.