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

Apr. 9, 2009--  Eleven was the magic number Thursday afternoon at Shanower Field, as the North Central College softball team took game one of a doubleheader with Lake Forest College, 11-1, in five innings before the Foresters returned the favor in game two, winning 11-7 in a wild extra innings affair. Holly Roadruck pitched 11 of the 13 innings on the day for North Central while Kara Reid was red-hot at the plate, finishing four-for-six with five RBIs.

Game one saw the Foresters jump out to an early 1-0 lead before the Cardinals would respond with 11 unanswered runs for the mercy-rule shortened victory. Lake Forest's Mallory Norton drove in the game's first run in the top of the first off a double to center field, scoring Ashley Szyszka who reached base courtesy of a Cardinal fielding error. In the bottom of the first, Katie Pappa led off the inning with a double to left field, later scoring on a Laura Whitfield double to left center. A sacrifice fly by Reid brought home Erin Drennan, who had reached base on a walk to give the Cardinals the go-ahead run. Pitcher Holly Roadruck would help her cause, hitting a double down the left field line, scoring Whitfield and giving the Cardinals the 3-1 advantage.

The Cardinals plated two runs in the second off a two RBI double by Drennan before exploding for six runs in the bottom of the fourth to secure the mercy-rule win. North Central pounded out seven hits in the fourth inning, while Whitfield and Roadruck each doubled in a pair of runs.

Roadruck earned the victory, pitching all five innings and striking out two while Leslie Harshey (0-2) absorbed the loss for Lake Forest, pitching just one and two-third innings, allowing five runs.

Five Cardinals ended the game with multiple hits as the team cranked out 12 hits, including seven doubles.

Lake Forest's Jeannette Andersen hit two home runs and drove in five runs, including three in the top of the eighth inning as the Foresters prevented a sweep with the 11-7 win in eight innings.

The Foresters (6-11) once again got on the board early, scoring three runs, two of which coming off a Tracy Rainey home run. Lake Forest would get an additional run in the third, ending the inning with two stranded on base after the Cardinals tossed out two runners at the plate. An Andersen solo shot to right center in the top of the fifth gave the Foresters a commanding 5-0 lead.

North Central would not back down, plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth and four more in the sixth to take the lead for the first time in the game at 7-5. A Reid home run to right center drove in two of the three in the fifth before driving in two more in the sixth off a triple to deep right field. The Cardinals other runs came off a Whitfield single in the fifth while Drennan doubled to right center scoring two in the sixth.

A pair of Forester singles tied the game at seven apiece in the top of the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. In extras, Lake Forest exploited two Cardinal errors to plate four runs with three of them coming off an Andersen home run blast.

Roadruck (5-4) took the loss, pitching the final six innings in relief of Katie Crawford. Gretchen Galasek (4-4) earned the victory for Lake Forest, going the distance and striking out three.

Reid led the offense in game two, going two-for-four at the plate, driving in four runs.

The Cardinals (11-7) return to the diamond on Saturday, facing College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin rival Millikin University at 1 p.m. in Decatur, Ill.