Contact: Tyler Friel, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

Game one box score
Game two box score

April 15, 2017 – Putting an end to a six-game losing streak, the North Central College softball team split their non-conference doubleheader against the University of Chicago Maroons, dropping game one 6-3 before winning game two in walk-off fashion 4-3 Saturday afternoon at Shanower Family Field.

In game one, the Cardinals took a quick 2-0 lead as Jenna Trojniar drove in Taylor Clugston with a double down the right field line and came around to score on a wild pitch two batters later. That lead would hold until the third as the Maroons piled on five runs in the third off seven hits to take the 5-2 advantage, though the Cardinals stopped the bleeding leaving the bases loaded. The scoring would slow down until the sixth as a sacrifice fly from Chicago gave the visitors a 6-2 lead with just a frame and a half to play. North Central would show some fight in their last at-bats as Trojniar and Clugston would stand on first and third, respectively with two outs. Trojniar stole second and Clugston advanced on the throw from the Maroon catcher to cut the deficit 6-3 but it would not be enough as Chicago would take game one.

North Central outhit the Maroons 13-10, led by two hit performances from five Cardinals with Clugston scoring twice. Jennifer Yager (3-5) would receive the loss, allowing six earned runs on nine hits in six innings. Megan Stoppelman received the win for Chicago.

In game two, the Cardinals would once again jump out to an early 1-0 lead, as Anna Seffernick used an infield single to score Brooke Kehoe in the second inning. Chicago would even the score an inning later and tacked on one run in the sixth and seventh to hold a 3-1 lead with just three outs to record. The Cardinals showed their determination to not let their losing streak continue, scoring two runs to knot the score at three.

Samantha Phelps started the inning with a lead-off single and Madison O'Donnell received the call to pinch run. After a line-out from the Cardinals, Seffernick reached on an error that moved O'Donnell to second. An RBI-double from Rachele Belletini pushed O'Donnell across and gave the Cardinals an opportunity to tie and potentially win in the seventh. Alyssa Klemm then stepped in as a pinch hitter to drive in Seffernick with a groundout to second, forcing extra innings for the first time since their spring trip. North Central's defense would hold up when it counted, keeping Chicago off the board to give them a chance to end it in the eighth.

The Cardinals delivered as Phelps stepped in with one out and the winning run on second. Phelps battled in her at-bat, ending with a line drive in between the third baseman and shortstop. The Maroons shortstop was slow to get to the ball, unable to field it cleanly and Trojniar was able to score from second to not only walk it off but put an end to the six-game skid.

Jessica Weaver (6-5) received the win for North Central, allowing just one earned run and eight hits in eight innings pitched, striking out three in the game. Clugston and Phelps each finished the day 4-for-8 from the plate.

The Cardinals return to conference action on Tuesday, April 18 as they host Carthage College at 3 and 5 pm. The Cardinals and Lady Reds split their series last season and Carthage currently sits second in conference with a 9-1 CCIW record.