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

Game one box score
Game two box score

WHEATON, Ill (Apr. 20, 2017) – Recording 24 total hits in two games against College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) rival Wheaton College, the North Central College softball team swept the Thunder, taking game one 9-1 before holding on for a 5-4 win at Ruth Leedy Field Thursday afternoon.

The Cardinals (15-15, 5-5) got the bats going early as Anna Seffernick reached on a fielder's choice to score Taylor Clugston and Samantha Phelps doubled to score Seffernick later in the inning. The Thunder would get one back thanks to a wild pitch and would lead 2-1 after one frame. North Central increased their lead the following inning as Clugston fly out right field, allowing a run to come across.

There would be no more scoring for either team until the sixth where the Cardinals piled on six runs to take a commanding eight run lead. Rachele Belletini homered to right to bring in two runs, Clugston tripled to bring another run in and Seffernick extended the lead with an RBI single shortly after. The inning would be capped with a two-RBI double from Phelps and the Cardinals defense and pitching took care of the rest, allowing just three hits in game one.

Jennifer Yager improved to 4-6 on the year after allowing one earned run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. The Cardinals did not have any member strike out in the first game, giving Kendall Kehres her 11^th loss of the season. Phelps led all hitters with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate.

Game two would not be as easy for the Cardinals as a late inning surge threatened the sweep. Phelps carried her game one performance into game two with an RBI-single in the first to give North Central the lead 1-0. Wheaton would take their first lead of the day an inning later with a two-RBI double to left but the lead would not last long as Sarah Esposito responded with a two-RBI double of her own to regain the lead. The Cardinals tacked one on in the third and the fourth and held a 5-2 lead going into the final inning. A two-run homer from Jaclyn McLean would make things interesting but North Central hurler Jessica Weaver would bear down to record the final two outs and hold on for the sweep.

Weaver (7-6) allowed three earned runs on five hits, striking out three and walking just one. Clugston paced the Cardinals with three hits on the day as North Central amassed 14 hits in the second game.

The Cardinals receive a break from conference competition as they travel to Milwaukee, Wis. to take on Mount Mary University on Saturday, April 22. Game times are slated for 1 and 3 pm.