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IWU Box Score
Augustana Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis. (May 8, 2010)-- The North Central College softball team survived day one of competition at the double-elimination College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament, posting the 5-0 shutout victory over Illinois Wesleyan University in the opener before stumbling 6-1 to Augustana College in the late game.

Lyndsey Payne (12-3) went the distance in the circle, tossing her second shutout of the year while a five-run avalanche in the the sixth inning proved more than enough offense for the Cardinals in the tournament opener against Illinois Wesleyan (26-14).

After five innings of scoreless ball, the Cardinals (31-11) got on the board in the sixth, capitalizing on three Titan errors to plate five runs off just two hits. Lauren Schramm led off the inning by drawing a walk, advancing to second after Laura Whitfield safely reached first on a throwing error on her sacrifice bunt. A Katie Pappa infield single brought in Schramm for the game's first run. Whitfield would come around and score the frame's second run, courtesy of a pair of fielding errors. Kelli Lofgren singled up the middle to score a pair of runs while a passed ball allowed Alyssa Rabulinski to score, pushing the Cardinals' advantage to 5-0.

Hitting in the number nine spot, Lofgren led the team with a three-for-three effort at the plate with a pair of RBIs, finishing the game as the only player on either team to record more than one hit.

Payne allowed just four hits and issued just one walk in seven innings of work while IWU's Christy Engel (9-9) struck out nine and allowed one earned run, getting knocked out of the game with one out in the fifth inning. Lauren James closed out the game for the Titans, striking out two, issuing one walk and yielding no hits.

North Central's offense struggled in the nightcap against Augustana, mustering just two hits as the Vikings pounded out 15, including seven hits in a four-run sixth inning.

Augustana drew first blood in the day's second game, plating a run in the second inning. Dawn Kernich led off the frame with an infield single before advancing to second on a ground out. Kernich would later steal third base and score on a throwing error, giving the Vikings the 1-0 lead. Augustana struck again in the bottom of the fourth with a Chris Rosin single down the left field line scoring Kernich, who reached base on a hit by pitch.

North Central cut the deficit to just one run in the top of the sixth before the Vikings countered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to cement the victory. Mary Caron belted a one-out triple to right field, scoring the next at-bat on an RBI groundout by Lauren Schramm. The Vikings responded by pounding out seven straight singles, plating four runs and increasing their advantage to five runs. Brittany Snoreck led off the inning with a double, later scoring on a Missy Fobert single while a Rosin double plated Fobert. Melissa Nelson belted a single up the middle to score the frame's third run while Stephanie Sarb drove in a run after getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before the Cardinals ended the inning by turning a double play.

Holly Roadruck (12-7) suffered the loss, allowing five earned runs and striking out one in the complete game effort while Erica Aten (8-2) picked up the win, striking out four in six innings of work.

North Central returns to the diamond tomorrow at 10 a.m. taking on Illinois Wesleyan with the winner advancing to the championship round.