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

Apr. 23, 2009-- The North Central College softball team extended its win streak to seven, Thursday afternoon at Shanower Field, picking up the dramatic 2-1 victory in the doubleheader opener off a Laura Constantine walk off home run, while scoring six runs over a two inning span for the 6-3 win to earn the sweep over Carthage College.

Game one was a pitcher's duel with North Central's Holly Roadruck (11-5) emerging on top after tossing a complete game two-hitter. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Sammie Bloomfield drew a bases loaded walk with one out to bring home Laura Whitfield, who had reached base on a single up the middle. The Lady Reds would contain the damage getting back-to-back pop outs to escape the inning and strand three Cardinal base runners.

In the seventh, Carthage tied the game after pitcher Kelsey Epping hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field with one out, driving in Stephanie Noel, who led off the inning with a single. The Cardinals would retire the next batter to escape the inning with the score knotted at one apiece. In the bottom of the seventh, Constantine led off the inning with her first hit of the game, blasting a solo shot over the fence in left center to give the home side the victory.

In the circle, Roadruck allowed just one earned run, striking out two for her 14th complete game of the season. Her counterpart Epping (13-4), the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin strikeout and ERA leader, absorbed the loss, allowing one earned run while striking out three and issuing just one free pass.

Kara Reid finished the game as the only Cardinal with multiple hits, going two-for-three at the plate with a double.

In the late game, North Central used a pair of three run innings to build an early 6-0 lead and withstood a late Carthage rally attempt to secure the sweep.

Alyssa Rabulinski started the scoring in the top of the second, hitting a base knock up the middle to drive in Reid. A Constantine double to left field the next at-bat scored both Sammie Bloomfield and Rabulinski to push the advantage to 3-0. In the third, North Central tacked on three more, aided by RBIs by both Roadruck and Bloomfield.

Carthage responded in the fourth, leading off the inning with three straight hits to get on the board, scoring two in the inning to cut into the homestanding Cardinals' lead. Jacquelyn Tassone led off the inning with a double, later scoring on an Alyssa Schrader infield single. Kari Peterson would score the inning's second run, crossing the plate after Allie Benthusen hit into a fielder's choice. The Lady Reds managed to load the bases and extend the inning, but were unable to bring any more runners home, stranding three on base.

In the sixth, the Lady Reds struck again with Schrader leading off the inning with a home run to left field. Carthage would threaten later in the inning, with two runners on with two outs before a pop-up ended the frame.

Brianna Nicholson (9-4) picked up the win, going the distance and allowing three earned runs in her first start since last Thursday. Benthusen (8-6) was hit with the loss, pitching all seven innings, yielding 11 hits and four earned runs while striking out two.

Bloomfield concluded the game a perfect two-for-two as four players ended the game with multiple hits.

With the sweep, North Central improves to 22-9 overall and 9-3 in CCIW action while Carthage falls to 22-10 overall and 7-7 in conference play. The Cardinals return to the diamond on Saturday for their final conference doubleheader of the season, taking on Augustana College at 1 p.m. at Shanower Field.