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Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

May 17, 2014 – In a thrilling turn of events, the North Central College softball team came back to slaughter the University of St. Thomas Tommies in five innings, 12-2, in game two of the NCAA Division III Softball Super Regionals. The Cardinals had lost the first game in extra innings, 7-6. The deciding game will be played on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Shanower Family Field with the winner of game three moving on to Nationals May 22-27 in Tyler, Texas.

During game one, St. Thomas was the first on the board in the third inning with four singles, scoring in three. They tacked on another at the bottom of the fourth off a double and single to bring them up 4-0.
                                                                            
North Central responded at the top of the fifth with a double from Kayla Antle that got in two RBI with Taylor Ryan and Kelsey Hayen crossing the plate. They didn't slow down there as Amanda Walker took her turn at a double to left center field that knocked in Amanda Cooper and Antle, tying it 4-4.
 
Pitcher Andrea Starr (16-6) would still have some work to do as the Tommies collected two more hits and an error at the end of the fifth to make it 6-4.
 
"She hung in there," said head coach Jim Kulawiak. "There were a lot of plays and certain calls and I thought she did a really good job. They're a really good hitting team. It's hard to keep them off the board."
 
At the top of the seventh and down 6-4, the Cardinals stepped up to the plate knowing what they had to do. Kiersten Tinkoff started it off with a single straight up the middle. Walker followed her lead with a hit past the third baseman. But it was Carly Trenhaile to tie it up with a double perfectly placed down the right field line to get in the two runs, making it 6-6.
 
In extras at the bottom of the ninth, all it took was two walks and a single to right center placed in the gap that snagged St. Thomas the game one win, 7-6.
 
In game two it seemed St. Thomas would keep their momentum going as they scored two runs in just the first inning. But that hope would quickly disappear for them as Ryan doubled to left center field, scoring in Vlasta Mangia for the first run. Cecie Portillo sent one straight up the middle to tie it at two.
 
The bottom of the fourth would prove to be the best offensive inning for the Cardinals this season. Collecting eight hits, North Central would knock in 10 runs with a three-run homer from Mangia, five singles and two doubles to bring it 12-2.
 
"We were on fire," said Kulawiak. "It can become a little contagious. The good thing about it is they were all really good shots. There weren't any cheapies in there."
 
With the slaughter rule in affect, pitcher Mangia (11-5) and the defense made it a one-two-three fifth inning with two ground outs and a fly out to secure the win.
 
"It was exciting and everyone's obviously feeling awesome about it," said Kulawiak.
 
Game three will be conducted tomorrow as the deciding match on which team moves forward to the top eight in Nationals next week.
 
 "Today we showed that we both are capable of beating each other so we know we can beat them," said Kulawiak. "But at the same time you have to come out there and do a heck of a job and our team knows that."