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Box Score

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (May 13, 2011)--  Unable to find a rhythm at the plate for the second consecutive day, the North Central College softball squad was ousted from the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament on Friday at Gelein Field, stumbling 3-1 to the College of Saint Scholastica (Minn.).

The Saints (29-14) broke up the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fourth inning with Jen Falk belting a two-out double to right center field to plate a pair of runs for the 2-0 advantage.

St. Scholastica pushed its buffer to three runs in the following inning, with Kali Carlson belting a triple to right field, scoring Brittni Johnson who led off the frame with a base hit up the middle.

The Cardinals got on the board in the sixth inning with Justine Walker scoring on an Alyssa Rabulinski sacrifice fly to right field after leading off the inning by drawing a walk. North Central had a chance for more runs with a runner on third with one out before St. Scholastica turned a double play to stymie the rally.

North Central stranded eight runners on base while Saint Scholastica left six on base,

Vlasta Mangia (12-7) absorbed the loss inside the circle, striking out three and allowing eight hits in six innings of work. The Saints' Jen Falk (11-7) earned the win, tossing a complete game, allowing six hits and striking out four.

It was North Central's 10th overall appearance at the NCAA Regional Tournament and the ninth under the direction of head coach Jim Kulawiak.

The Cardinals close the year with a 26-14 record, a season that saw the team win the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament title for the first time since 2008.