FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Apr. 12, 2011-- Scoring runs in bunches, the North Central College softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of North Park University in its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin home opener, downing the Vikings 9-5 and 6-3 on Tuesday afternoon at Shanower Field.

North Park (13-11, 0-6 CCIW) drew first blood in game one, scoring a run in the first inning off a Jessica Refojo single up the middle.

The Cardinals (16-6, 3-1 CCIW) countered in the bottom of the frame, exploding for five runs. Lauren Schramm got things going with a triple down the right field line, scoring Erin Drennan who led off the frame with an infield single. Schramm scored the game's second run on a fielding error while Alyssa Rabulinski plated a run before Colleen Drennan singled in a pair of runs.

North Central bumped its advantage to eight runs in the third, plating four runs in the inning. Justine Walker led off the inning with a double, later scoring on a Colleen Drennan fielder's choice while a Taylor Ryan single brought in Colleen Drennan. A Mary Caron double drove in Ryan before scoring on a Schramm double to right center field.

The Vikings capitalized on five Cardinal fielding errors in the fourth inning, scoring four runs off just one hit to conclude the game's scoring.

Schramm finished a home run shy of the cycle in game one, finishing three-for-three with a pair of RBIs while Justine Walker was two-for-three.

Vlasta Mangia (5-2) picked up the win the circle for the Cardinals, allowing just one earned run in the complete game effort while her counterpart Kate Seebacher was saddled with the loss, allowing five earned runs in six innings of work.

A three-run outburst in the sixth inning proved more than enough offense for the Cardinals in game two, securing the series sweep.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the second inning with Mangia scoring an unearned run. The freshman reached base and advanced to second on a Viking throwing error before moving to third base on a Rabulinski sacrifice bunt. Mangia broke the shutout by scoring on a wild pitch with two outs.

North Central upped its lead to 3-0 in the third courtesy of a Schramm home run blast over the left field fence, scoring Caron, who reached base on an infield single.

North Park broke up the shutout in the bottom of the third, plating a run on a Annalis Matta double before tying the contest in the fourth off a two RBI double by Courtney Lucht.

Three Viking errors in the sixth set the table for a three-run inning for the homestanding Cardinals in what turned out to be the deciding margin. Laura Whitfield scored on a muffed throw by the catcher before a fielding error kept the inning alive and allowed Mangia to score. Walker tallied the game's final run, also scoring on a North Park fielding miscue.

Schramm again led the offense, finishing three-for-four with two RBIs, hitting for the cycle over the course of the doubleheader.

Brianna Nelson (9-2) earned the complete game victory, striking out two while Casey Latal was hit with the loss, allowing two earned runs in seven innings of work.

With the sweep, the Cardinals have now won 57 of the 58 games played in the all-time series against North Park.

North Central returns to the diamond on Thursday, traveling to Bloomington, Ill. to take on Illinois Wesleyan University in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.