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Wheaton Box Score

Carthage Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. (May 6, 2011)--  North Central College punched its ticket to the NCAA Division III softball tournament on Friday, downing Wheaton College, 8-3, and Carthage College 4-1 to secure the Cardinals' first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Championship since 2008 at Millikin University's Borg Warner Field.

Fourth-seeded Wheaton (23-16-1) struck first, plating three runs off three hits in the opening inning of play before the Cardinals (26-12) equalized the score in the top of the third off the bat of Vlasta Mangia as the freshmen belted a three-run home run, scoring Alyssa Rabulinski and Laura Whitfield who both reached base with singles. Shortly after Mangia belted the tying home run the game was suspended due to rain until Friday.

North Central claimed the lead in the third inning as Rabulinski singled in Schramm with two outs. The Cardinals continued to pile on the runs with a four-run outburst in the fifth inning.

Lauren Schramm tallied the inning's first run, reaching base on a walk before scoring on a Thunder throwing error. Mangia made Wheaton pay for the mistake that kept the inning alive, belting her second home run of the day, a two-out three-run blast, bringing in Rabulinski and Justine Walker.

Mangia finished two-for-three at the plate with six RBIs to lead the Cardinals while also picking up the win in the circle, tossing six scoreless innings in relief of Brianna Nelson, fanning five batters and allowing just two hits to improve her record to 11-5 on the year. Wheaton's Ainsley McCullough was saddled with the loss, yielding five runs in 4 2/3 innings of action.

Pouring on three runs in the second inning, North Central downed Carthage (26-12) for the second time in as many days to secure its first CCIW Tournament crown since 2008.

With the game scoreless, North Central opened the scoring in the second inning with a trio of runs. Laura Whitfield led off the frame with a single, eventually scoring on a Lady Red fielding miscue. Mary Caron upped the Cardinal edge to 3-0, banging a one-out triple, scoring Mangia and Rabulinski.

Alyse Mikolas blasted a solo home run in the top of the fourth for what turned out to be the team's only run.

The Cardinals tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning with Rabulinski belting in Whitfield to conclude the scoring.

Whitfield and Rabulinski powered the offense, both finishing two-for-three at the plate.

Mangia (12-5) picked up her second victory of the day, tossing a complete game, allowing just one earned run and striking out two.

The NCAA will announce the 2011 NCAA Division III softball field on Monday.