FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

LISLE, Ill. (Mar. 30, 2010)-- Playing its first road doubleheader of the season, the North Central College softball team came away with a series split against local foe Benedictine University, falling 7-3 in the opener before rebounding with the 7-6 victory, Tuesday afternoon at the Village of Lisle/BU Sports Complex.

The host Eagles (9-4) struck first in the opener, plating five runs in the second inning off of just four hits. With one out, Benedictine strung together three straight singles to load the bases before a Jess Fijolek RBI fielder's choice brought in the game's first run. Aimee Mahoney drew a walk to score the game's second run before a Laura Christensen triple to right field cleared the bases, giving Benedictine the early 5-0 edge.

The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the fifth, thanks in part to back-to-back singles to start off the inning.

Held to just two hits through the first six innings of play, the North Central offense came alive in the top of the seventh in a last ditch rally attempt. Laura Whitfield led things off with a one-out single before Kara Reid reached base safely on a fielding error. A Lauren Schramm RBI single broke up the shutout before an Ashley Barry triple to right field cleared the bases, closing the deficit to four.

The Cardinal rally came to a premature end after a ground out and a fly out closed the inning, giving the host Eagles the 7-3 victory.

Schramm led the Cardinal offense in the opener, collecting two of the team's five hits with an RBI.

Brittany Adcox (5-1) earned the victory for Benedictine, pitching all seven innings and striking out seven while Lyndsey Payne (2-2) absorbed the loss for North Central, allowing eight hits over six innings of work.

After threatening to score in the first two innings, Erin Drennan led off the third inning for the Cardinals (10-4) with a solo home run shot over the left  field fence, putting the visitors up 1-0 in game two. It was the junior's first home run of the season and her first hit of the afternoon after seeing her 15-game hitting streak come to a close in game one.

An Eagle fielding error plated Schramm for the game's second run after leading off the fourth inning with a base hit.  Mary Caron singled up the middle with two outs later in the inning, scoring Barry and Alyssa Rabulinski, increasing the Cardinal advantage to 4-0.

Benedictine countered in the fifth inning, knotting the game at four apiece after loading up the bases with two outs.  Lisa Rybak singled to left field, advancing to second and clearing the bases on a fielding error to pull within one, before coming home the next at-bat on a Sam Corban double.

The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the seventh with Katie Pappa leading off the inning with a double. Holly Roadruck reached base on a hit by pitch before a Whitfield single brought home pinch-runner Brianna Nelson for the go-ahead run. Schramm followed up Whitfield with a single of her own, prompting the Eagles' third pitching change of the game, bringing in game one winner Adcox to close out the game. Barry blasted the Cardinals' third consecutive base hit of the inning, loading the bases in the process before a Reid single and a Rabulinski ground out brought home two more runs, pushing the North Central edge to 7-4.

A two-out Corban single scored two in the bottom of the seventh, bringing the hosts within one before Roadruck induced a fly-out to preserve the win.

Schramm finished the game a perfect two-for-two at the plate while Barry and Drennan each collected a pair of hits.

Roadruck (5-1) picked up the complete game victory, allowing three earned runs, striking out three and issuing just one walk.

The Cardinals return to the diamond on Thursday, April 1, hosting Saint Mary's College (Ind.) at Shanower Field in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.