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

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Apr. 10, 2012-- The North Central College softball team jumped out to early leads in both ends of its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader against Elmhurst College but was unable to close out the Bluejays on both occasions on Tuesday at Shanower Field, falling 8-6 and 7-4.

In the opener, Elmhurst (18-6, 2-0 CCIW) broke open the scoreless affair in the top of the third, pushing across a single run on a Tiffany Potthast triple down the right field line.

The Cardinals (11-11, 1-5 CCIW) answered in the bottom of the fourth, taking the lead after pushing across a pair of runs. Kayla Antle and Mary Caron led off the frame by drawing walks before advancing on a Carly Trenhaile sacrifice bunt. Colleen Drennan cleared the bases with a base knock up the middle, giving the home side the 2-1 edge.

North Central's lead proved fleeting as the Bluejays regained the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning and two more runs in the sixth inning.

Elmhurst swelled its advantage to 8-2 with three runs in the seventh inning before the Cardinals mounted a late rally in the bottom of the frame, plating four runs but ultimately falling short in the comeback bid.

Ashley Guest started the Cardinal rally with a one-out pinch hit single up the middle. Vlasta Mangia reached on an error before Kayla Antle loaded the bases with a single. Mary Caron empty the bases by belting a triple down the right field line before eventually coming home on a Colleen Drennan groundout for the game's final run.

Caron led the Cardinals at the plate, finishing two-for-three with three RBIs while scoring twice.

Mangia (7-7) suffered the loss, tossing all seven innings and striking out one while Stephanie Iori (8-2) earned the win and Lindsay Nauman earned the save for the Bluejays. Iori handled the opening 6 1/3 innings, striking out four and allowing six runs while Nauman recorded the game's final two outs for the save.

In game two, the Cardinals struck early with a four run outburst in the top of the first before the Bluejays answered in the bottom of the inning with four of their own to tie the contest.

Carly Trenhaile drove in the game's first run with an infield single to bring in Mangia, who led off the game with a base hit. Drennan doubled the Cardinal advantage with a RBI groundout to score Antle while Caron scored on a wild pitch for the 3-0 lead. Jordyn Beck brought in the inning's fourth and final score with an RBI groundout to plate Drennan.

Elmhurst responded with four runs of its own in the bottom of the frame, pounding out five hits including a two RBI double by Meg Griffin.

The score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the fourth when a Potthast double to left field scored a pair of runs, giving the Bluejays the 6-4 advantage.

Elmhurst tacked on an insurance run in the fifth to bump its lead to 7-4 and hold on for the win and series sweep.

Katie Crawford (3-4) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs in six innings of action while Nauman (7-4) earned the win in the circle, striking out four in the complete game effort.

North Central returns to the diamond on Thursday, making the short trip to Aurora University for a non-conference doubleheader.