FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
Apr. 17, 2012-- The North Central College softball team fell victim to a walk-off sacrifice fly in the opening game of its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader against 25th-ranked Carthage College on Tuesday, suffering a 3-2 setback before falling 9-1 in the nightcap at Carthage Field.
The Cardinals held a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh in game one before yielding pair of runs while falling into an 8-0 hole after four innings of play in game two.
The homestanding Lady Reds (25-3, 5-1 CCIW) struck first in game one, plating an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning with a Vicki Pyan single down the left field line.
Taylor Ryan erased the early deficit with a solo home run in the top of the second to tie the ballgame before driving in
Mary Caron in the fourth inning, giving the visiting Cardinals (12-14, 1-7 CCIW) the 2-1 edge. Caron led off the inning with a double down the right field line before scoring on a two-out Ryan single through the right side.
Carthage responded in the seventh, tying the game on a Corrinne Sheley RBI single before a Alyse Mikolas sacrifice fly to right field plated the winning run.
Taylor led the Cardinals, tallying two of the team's four hits, ending the game two-for-three with a pair of RBIs.
Vlasta Mangia (8-10) suffered the loss, allowing just one earned run in 6 2/3 innings of action while Krystina Leazer (17-1) earned the win, yielding just four hits in seven innings of work.
After a scoreless opening inning, the Lady Reds got on the board in the top of the second in game two, grabbing the early 3-0 lead. Olivia Scott got things started with a solo home run before Carthage pushed across two more scores on RBI singles.
The host Lady Reds doubled their advantage in the third before Vicki Pyan belted a two-run home run in the fourth inning, expanding the lead to 8-0.
The Cardinals broke up the shutout in the fifth with Ryan leading off the frame with a double to left center field, later scoring on an
Ashley Guest double.
Pyan belted her second home run of the game in the top of the sixth, giving the Lady Reds an eight-run cushion and enacting the mercy rule after North Central stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the inning.
Mangia suffered the loss, allowing six runs in two innings of work before giving way to
Jordyn Beck. Carthage's Leazer earned her second win of the afternoon, striking out four in the complete game effort.
North Central hosts Wheaton College on Thursday in a CCIW doubleheader at Shanower Field. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
