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

Apr. 27, 2009-- Katie Crawford earned the game one save and the game two win while Katie Pappa belted four hits on the afternoon as the North Central College softball team closed out the regular season with a sweep of the University of Chicago, avenging its loss earlier in the season to the Maroons. The Cardinals won the opener 6-4 while taking the rubber match 6-0 at Shanower Field.

Rainy conditions contributed to a slow developing opener, with the Maroons scoring the game's first run in the fourth inning. Sara Whaley doubled to right center field, driving in Liz Payonk, who had reached on a fielder's choice. North Central countered with a run of its own in the bottom half of the frame, with Kara Reid blasting a double to right center to drive in Laura Whitfield, who reached base on a single.

In the fifth, the Maroons capitalized on two walks, a hit batter and an error, to plate three runs on just one hit. The Cardinals would respond once again in the home half of the inning, crossing the plate five times to retake the lead for good. Alyssa Rabulinski led off with an infield single, scoring the next at-bat off a Laura Constantine home run that barely cleared the left field scoreboard. Pappa would follow with a single, coming home off a Whitfield double to right center field. Reid drove in the innings fourth run on a groundout while an Erin Drennan single through the middle boosted the Cardinal lead to 6-4.

Holly Roadruck (13-5) earned the win, tossing the first six innings and allowing three earned runs while Crawford closed out the final inning, recording the team's first save of the season. Chicago's Sarah Neuhaus (8-6) absorbed the loss, pitching the first four and one-third innings before making way for Lauren White.

Pappa and Whitfield each finished two-for-four while Reid and Constantine each drove in a pair of runs.

In the rubber match, Cardinal pitcher Crawford allowed just four hits, picking up her first career complete game shutout.

North Central jumped to the early lead scoring a pair of runs in the opening inning. Pappa and Whitfield both singled through the left side, crossing the plate after Reid blasted a two-RBI double to deep right field. Whitfield would score again in the third, reaching base after drawing a walk before the Cardinals added three insurance runs in the sixth. Drennan led off the sixth with a bunt single, later scoring on a Constantine base hit. Mary Caron doubled to right center, scoring Pappa, who reached on a single, and Justine Walker, who pinch-ran for Constantine to conclude the scoring in the game.

Crawford (3-0) pitched all seven innings, allowing just two walks to get the victory while Lauren White (1-4) suffered the loss, pitching six innings and allowing five earned runs.

Pappa finished the game the only Cardinal with multiple hits, going two-for-four at the plate while Caron and Reid each had a pair of RBIs.

The Cardinals and Maroons met earlier in the season on April 4 with Chicago coming out on top, 4-2, to win the North Central Invitational.

With the wins, North Central improves to 25-10 on the season while Chicago drops to 13-13 on the year. The Cardinals return to the diamond on Friday, May 1, for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament where the will look to repeat as Tournament Champions. North Central begins its quest at noon on Friday, facing Augustana College in Bloomington, Ill.