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

Apr. 25, 2009-- The North Central College softball team concluded its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin schedule on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader against Augustana College at Shanower Field. The Cardinals took the opener 10-2 in a game shortened to just six innings due to the mercy-rule while in the late game, the Vikings picked up the 6-0 win in a game marred by rain and shortened to just five innings.

Augustana opened up the scoring in game one, with Stephanie Sarb hitting a bomb over the right field fence to lead off the second inning. North Central tied the game in the third after a Brianna Nicholson single scored Alyssa Rabulinski. The Cardinals took the lead later in the frame, scoring two on a Viking fielding error.

In the fourth, Augustana cut the deficit to just one off a Christine Trojanowski double to center field, scoring Sarb who led off the inning with a walk. Erin Drennan led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to center field, scoring off a Sammie Bloomfield single.

In the fifth, North Central exploded for four runs, getting RBIs from Laura Whitfield, Kara Reid and Rabulinski before enacting the mercy-rule in the sixth, plating two off a Whitfield home run blast to right center.

Holly Roadruck (12-5) picked up the complete game victory, allowing six hits and striking out two while Sheldon Ritzheimer (10-4) absorbed the loss, pitching the game's first four and one-third innings, allowing five runs, three earned and striking out two.

Whitfield powered the Cardinal offensive attack, turning in a two-for-four performance with four RBIs while Drennan and Roadruck each finished the game with a pair of hits.

In the late game, Augustana (27-11, 9-5 CCIW) jumped to the early lead after plating five runs in the first two innings in the rain shortened contest; snapping the Cardinals' eight-game win streak. Brittany Snoreck drove in the game's first run on a single to right field in the bottom of the first, tacking on two more later in the frame off a Trojanowski single. Coming off a 75-minute lightning delay, the Vikings pushed their lead to five, adding two runs in the second. In the fourth, Karlee Quaritsch doubled to left center field, scoring Dawn Kernich before the game went into its second lightning delay.

The two teams squeezed in one more half inning, marred by rain and dark conditions before the game was officially called.

Nicholson (9-5) was hit with the loss, tossing two innings and allowing five runs while Jackie Gill (11-6) picked up the win, allowing just three hits in the shutout.

Roadruck accounted for two of the team's three hits, finishing two-for-two at the plate.

The Cardinals (23-10, 10-4) close out the regular season on Monday with a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Chicago at Shanower Field. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.