FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (May 1, 2010)-- 16th-ranked North Central College closed out its regular season on Saturday, earning a split with host Augustana College in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin softball doubleheader at Carver Field. The Cardinals jumped to the early lead in both games, falling 6-5 in eight innings in the opener before hanging on for the 3-2 victory in game two.
North Central (30-10, 9-5 CCIW) grabbed the early lead in the opener with
Katie Pappa blasting a solo home run in the top of the first inning before the Vikings tied the game in the bottom of the frame, utilizing back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly to get on the board.
Laura Constantine drew a walk to lead off the second, advancing to third base courtesy of an error and a base hit before scoring on a passed ball to push the visitors in front 2-1. A Constantine single to left field the following inning plated
Laura Whitfield, who reached on a fielder's choice, increasing the Cardinals' advantage to two runs.
North Central tacked on two more runs in the fifth, with
Laura Whitfield spearheading the charge with a one-out double to right center field. Whitfield would later score on a Viking error while a
Kara Reid outfield single scored pinch runner
Kelli Lofgren, who replaced Constantine after the junior drew her second free pass of the game.
Augustana (28-11, 8-6 CCIW) quickly countered in the bottom of the fifth with Andi Walker blasting a two-run shot to pull the home side to within two runs at 5-3 before knotting the game in the bottom of the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. The Vikings led off the seventh with back-to-back singles before getting an RBI double from Brittany Snoreck while an Ashley Mulligan infield single scored the game-tying run.
Andi Walker emerged as the extra innings hero for the Vikings, belting a walk-off single with one out to score pinch runner Dawn Kernich, lifting Augustana to the 6-5 victory and spoiling North Central's bid at a share of the CCIW regular season title.
Whitfield finished two-for-four at the plate with two runs scored as the Cardinals were out-hit by a 19-8 margin. Stephanie Sarb and Melissa Nelson both led the Augustana offense, each finishing four-for-five.
Holly Roadruck (11-5) absorbed the loss, pitching 7 1/3 innings and allowing six earned runs while Sheldon Ritzheimer (11-4) earned the win for the Vikings, tossing the final inning and allowing no hits.
North Central struck first in game two, with a Whitfield single to center field scoring
Mary Caron after reaching base on a double to center field. The Cardinals tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third with Whitfield driving in Lofgren before a Constantine sacrifice fly scored Caron, giving North Central the three-run cushion.
Kaylee Quaritsch put Augustana on the board in the top of the fourth with a solo home run shot while Chrissy Rosin drove in a run in the seventh but it was not enough as the Cardinals held on for the 3-2 victory.
Whitfield and Caron accounted for four of the Cardinals' five hits in game two, each finishing two-for-three at the plate.
Lyndsey Payne picked up the complete game victory, striking out two and allowing two walks while Augustana's game one winner, Ritzheimer, suffered the loss, pitching the first four innings and allowing five runs.
North Central returns to the diamond on Friday in Kenosha, Wis. at the double-elimination CCIW Tournament.
