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

CHICAGO (Apr. 13, 2010)-- The North Central College softball team saw its 11-game win streak come to a halt on Tuesday, falling 3-1 to host North Park University before rebounding with the 3-2 victory in game two to salvage a split in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.

A Laura Whitfield solo home run shot proved to be the Cardinals' only offense in the opener as Viking pitcher Kate Seebacher allowed just three North Central hits in the game.

North Park (13-9, 1-3 CCIW) broke up a scoreless deadlock in the fourth inning with a Seebacher single to left field driving in pinch runner Mallory Biertz who replaced Sonya Le after Le led off the inning by drawing a walk.

The Vikings pushed across another run the following inning after Le led off the frame with a base knock to right field, later scoring on a Cardinal error.

The visiting Cardinals (21-5, 5-1 CCIW) broke up the shutout in the top of the sixth with Whitfield blasting a solo home run over the left field fence with two outs, closing the deficit to just one run.

North Park answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring an unearned run off a Le single for the game's final score.

Holly Roadruck (9-2) suffered just her second defeat of the season in the circle, pitching six innings and allowing just one earned run while Seebacher (9-5) picks up the win, striking out five and allowing just three hits in seven innings of action.

A Whitfield two-run shot in the fifth inning erased an early deficit before a Lauren Schramm walk-off double in the seventh inning sealed the come-from-behind game two victory to salvage a series split.

The Vikings once again struck first, pounding out four hits in the third inning to plate a pair of runs. Seebacher led off the frame with a single, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt before a Le double brought in Seebacher for the game's first run. Le would later score on a two-out single by Katie Anderson, giving the home side the two-run buffer.

North Central countered in the fifth as Mary Caron safely reached base on Viking error. Whitfield would make the Vikings pay for their miscue, knocking the ball over the center field fence with two outs for her second home run of the day, knotting the score at two apiece.

Caron belted a single to left field with one out in the bottom of the seventh, advancing to second on a Katie Pappa outfield hit before coming home on Schramm's two-out walk off double to center field, giving the Cardinals the 3-2 victory.

Pappa and Schramm both led the offense in game two, each finishing two-for-four at the plate while Lyndsey Payne (7-2) picked up the victory in the circle, striking out two and allowing seven hits in seven innings of work.

North Central returns to the friendly confines of Shanower Field on Thursday, hosting Illinois Wesleyan University in a CCIW doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.