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Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (Apr. 26, 2012)-- The North Central College softball team extended its win streak to six games on Thursday afternoon, earning a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Lake Forest College. The Cardinals downed the Foresters 4-2 in the opener before utilizing a seventh inning rally to escape with an 11-7 victory in the nightcap.

With the victories, the Cardinals (20-16) surpass the 20-win plateau for the 20th straight season and the 23rd time in head coach Jim Kulawiak's 24-year career at the College.

North Central wasted little time getting on the board in the opener, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Kayla Antle led off the game with a double before Mary Caron belted her first home run of the season, clearing the bases and giving the visitors the early 2-0 edge.

The Foresters (14-15) countered in the bottom of the fourth, pushing across two runs to tie the contest before North Central added two more runs in the fifth to conclude the scoring and secure the victory.

Caron led off the fifth with a single before scoring on a Carly Trenhaile single. Colleen Drennan doubled the Cardinal lead, laying down a bunt single to score Vlasta Mangia.

Caron ended game one four-for-four at the plate with a pair of RBIs while Drennan finished two-for-three.

Mangia (15-12) earned the complete game victory, allowing two earned runs and striking out five while Molly Thomsen (6-8) was hit with the loss for Lake Forest, conceding 11 hits in seven innings of work.

In game two, the Cardinals utilized a six run outburst in the second inning to break open a scoreless affair.

Trenhaile drew a walk to begin the inning, later scoring on a Kristen Hoffman fielder's choice before an Antle RBI single bumped the Cardinal lead to 2-0. Taylor Ryan belted in a pair of runs with a double to left center field before a Mangia single allowed Ryan and Antle to score, giving North Central the early 6-0 advantage.

The Foresters answered in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on three Cardinal errors to tally seven runs and grab the lead.

Lake Forest's first two runs came in on a Cardinal fielding miscue before a groundout plated the frame's third run. A Jessica Tucker double drove in a run before Aubrey Pendegraft cleared the bases with a three-run home run, giving the home side the 7-6 lead.

North Central exploded for five more runs in the top of the seventh to secure the victory and the squad's third straight doubleheader sweep.

Ashley Guest got the rally started with a double to left. A Forester error the next at-bat allowed pinch runner Jordan Johnson to tie the game before an Antle triple to right field plated two runs, regaining the lead for the Cardinals. Ryan brought Antle home with a single to center field before Caron blasted her second home run of the afternoon, clearing the left field fence to conclude the scoring and give North Central the 11-7 victory.

Antle finished game two with three hits and three RBIs to lead the Cardinals while Ryan and Drennan each picked up a pair of hits.

Mangia tallied her second complete game victory of the afternoon, allowing six hits and striking out one while Thomsen suffered the defeat, allowing five runs in five innings of relief work.

The Cardinals look to continue their win streak on Saturday, traveling to Rock Island, Ill. to close out their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin schedule with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Augustana College.