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

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Mar. 24, 2012-- Pitcher Vlasta Mangia earned the game one victory and the game two save, powering the North Central College softball team to a doubleheader sweep of non-conference foe Dominican University on Saturday in the home opener at Shanower Field. The Cardinals downed the Stars 7-5 in the opener before prevailing 2-0 in the nightcap.

The Cardinals (6-6) struck first in the opener, exploiting a pair of errors to plate a pair of runs as Maron Caron blasted a two RBI single into right field, scoring Taylor Ryan and Kayla Antle.

North Central pushed its edge to 5-0 with three runs in the fourth inning. Jordyn Beck reached base on a bunt single before scoring on a wild pitch. An Ashley Guest infield single scored Colleen Drennan before an Antle single up the middle brought home Ashley Larak.

Dominican (7-7) closed the gap to one run in the sixth as Corinne Wimmer doubled in two runs before a Cardinal fielding error allowed two more to score.

The Cardinals increased their buffer to three runs in the sixth with Mangia doubling to left field to score Ryan before coming home herself on a Dominican error.

DU's Wimmer singled in another run in the top of the seventh to close within two before Mangia induced a groundout to preserve the win.

Mangia (5-3) was tossing a no-hitter through five innings of play, ending with the complete game victory after fanning seven batters and yielding just four hits. The Stars' Jori Cicale suffered the defeat last 3 2/3 innings and yielding five runs.

Game two was a pitching duel with Katie Crawford and Mangia combining for the shutout.

North Central opened the scoring in the fourth with Mangia leading off the frame with a base hit. After stealing second the sophomore advanced to third on a groundout before Mary Caron drove her in to take the 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning with Colleen Drennan drawing a bases loaded RBI walk to score Antle.

The Stars threatened in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third before Mangia retook the circle and picked up the final two outs to earn the save.

Crawford (1-3) earned the victory in the circle, allowing just four hits in 6 1/3 innings of work while Emily Mahoney was saddled with the loss, allowing one earned run in six innings of action.

North Central returns to the diamond on Thursday, hosting Beloit College (Wis.) in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.