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Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. (May 1, 2011)-- The North Central College softball team closed out its conference slate on Sunday at Borg Warner Field, sweeping first place Millikin University, 6-4 and 4-0 to secure a spot in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament beginning Thursday.

The Cardinals (23-11, 9-5 CCIW) wasted little time in the opener with Erin Drennan scoring the game's first run in the top of the first on an RBI groundout by Laura Whitfield after leading off the game by drawing a walk.

North Central added single runs in the third and fifth innings to take the 3-0 lead. A Lauren Schramm single in the third scored Erin Drennan, who led off the inning with a base hit while a RBI single by Whitfield plated Erin Drennan in the fifth after the center fielder opened the frame with a single.

Millikin (23-13, 11-3 CCIW), the 2011 regular season CCIW Champions, sliced the Cardinal lead to just one after plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. North Central answered the next inning with a three-run outburst, getting an RBI double from Erin Drennan and RBI singles from Colleen Drennan and Schramm.

The Big Blue's Cora Jeffers belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to close within two and complete the game's scoring as Cardinal hurler Vlasta Mangia tossed a three-up, three-down inning in the seventh, fanning the final two batters.

The Drennan sisters, Erin and Colleen, each finished three-for-three at the plate to lead the offense. Erin Drennan additionally scored four times during the game while Schramm and Whitfield both had a pair of RBIs.

Mangia (9-5) earned the complete game victory, allowing eight hits in seven innings of work and issuing no walks. Her counterpart, Whitney Schafman (9-6) was saddled with the loss, striking out seven but allowing six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of action.

In the nightcap, a four run outburst in the fourth inning proved all the offense necessary for the Cardinals to escape Decatur with the series sweep in the 4-0 shutout victory.

Alyssa Rabulinski belted a double to score Whitfield in the bottom of the fourth to open the scoring before coming home on a three-run home run by Mangia, her third homer of the season and second over the past two days.

The Big Blue's best scoring chance came in the top of the third inning, loading the bases with two outs before Brianna Nelson induced a groundout to Taylor Ryan to end the frame.

Mangia accounted for two of the team's five hits in game two to lead the offense.

Nelson (12-4) earned the victory in the circle, tossing all seven innings in the complete game shutout. Millikin's Lauren Kitterman (12-5) absorbed the loss, allowing four earned runs over six innings of work.

The Cardinals are set to return to Decatur on Thursday for day one of the double elimination CCIW Tournament.