FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kim Ippolito, Graduate Assistant to Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

PELLA, Iowa (May 10, 2014) – Tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, junior Kayla Antle smashed a walk-off home run to beat the Washington-St. Louis Bears, 3-2, in the second round of the NCAA Division III Softball Regionals on Saturday. North Central advances to the championship game on Sunday at 11 a.m. in Pella, Iowa after going 2-0 so far in the tournament.

"They've done very well in this tournament," said head coach Jim Kulawiak. "They've played at a very high level—hopefully we can keep it going."

Antle was on a roll throughout the whole game also collecting a double and two RBI, but it was the walk-off homer that had the team jumping up and down at home plate as she made her way around the bases.

"It felt amazing," said Antle. "My hit was great, but the team was there and that was the most important part."
 
This was home run number three of the season for her as she now has an overall 52 hits and 21 RBI.
 
"Anytime you have a walk-off home run it leaves with a great feeling of joy and excitement," said Kulawiak. "In that situation, it's the one big hit that you really need because it's hard in these situations to put two and three hits together against quality teams."
 
For the first three innings of the game it remained scoreless as the Cardinals (31-11) and Bears (31-16) battled it out on the field and at the plate. Washington-St. Louis put the first run on the board at the top of the fourth with a sacrifice bunt and two singles.
 
Kiersten Tinkoff responded for the Cardinals that same inning with a home run to deep center field. This was her fourth home run of the season and 29^th RBI.
 
At the bottom of the fifth, North Central kept the energy up as Jordyn Beck singled to right center. Taylor Ryan's sacrifice bunt advanced pinch runner Bri Floyd to second as Antle came to the plate for a double in left center to score in Floyd, boosting them up 2-1.
 
The Bear's brought the game to its second tie with two singles and a double in the sixth inning. Pitcher Andrea Starr (15-5) had to keep them under control and utilize the defense to only allow that one run.
 
"I thought she hung in there real well," said Kulawiak. "There were times when I was ready to pull her, but coach TK (Tom Kulawiak) thought she could get through it and he was right."
 
Starr hung in there the whole game giving up seven hits with two strikeouts.
 
"She did amazing," said Antle. "She pitched a heck of a game. There's not much more you can ask from her."
 
North Central is undefeated so far in the double-elimination tournament after beating Central College on Friday. They will have up to two chances to win Sunday's match. The opponent for the championship game will be decided from the winner of game five on Saturday being played at 4 p.m.
 
 "We are excited for everything," said Antle. "We love to play every single game and we're ready to rest up today and to attack whoever is coming for us tomorrow."