Contact: Ashleigh Jones, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
Game one Box Score
Game two Box Score
April 29, 2018- With Senior Day excitement in the air the North Central College softball team played its heart out, splitting its series against Kalamazoo College, winning 3-2 after going 14 innings, and then falling 4-6 in game two.
In game one of the series, the Hornets put up a fight at-bat forcing Jessica Weaver to throw 17 pitches in the top of the first. Though Kalamazoo continued to battle at-bat, it would become evident that it was not enough to get past the Cardinals defense.
After four scoreless innings and three hits total between the two teams, North Central fell behind by two in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Cardinals would finally catch a break when Anna Seffernick was walked, and subsequently brought home off a triple up the middle by Emily Miller.
Down 2-1, Jenna Trojniar would tie the game with a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Miller plenty of time to cross home plate.
In the top of the seventh Weaver would be relieved by Sarah Esposito to close out the game, following a single by the Hornets. Though Kalamazoo sought to pull ahead, Taylor Clugston would cut the Hornets rally short, catching a pop-up and tagging the runner at second to end the inning.
Hoping to call the game in the seventh the Cardinals found themselves with Seffernick on first and Reagan Raymer on second but were unable to capitalize at-bat resulting in extra innings.
North Central and Kalamazoo would trade-off innings, each leaving nine players on base and stifling each other's offense with quick grabs and smart putouts.
After eleven grueling innings, the Cardinals shut down the Hornets, with the help of the Cardinals' third pitcher of the game Samantha Gadomski, who pitched the remainder of the game.
In the top of the fourteenth North Central's bats came alive and with a single to left field by Trojniar and a perfectly executed bunt by Rachele Belletini, the Cardinals were in scoring position with no outs.
Samantha Phelps would end the game fittingly with a senior effort, poking a single through left field, advancing Belletini to second and bringing Trojniar home following an overthrown pass to third.
In game two, Kalamazoo came back to bat fired up, recording two runs quickly.
The Cardinals would answer in similar fashion tying the game 2-2 in the bottom of the first, off a double to center field by Phelps, which brought in Miller and again two batters later off a single by Alexandra Martin to bring in Phelps.
Similar to game one the Hornets and North Central were trading inning for inning, neither willing to give up a run.
Unfortunately, Kalamazoo found its swing in the fourth and fifth, tallying four runs off four hits and pulling away from the Cardinals late.
Despite being down 6-2, North Central slowly ticked away at the Hornets lead, recording two runs over the fifth and sixth inning.
The Cardinals would hold Kalamazoo to six runs, and in the bottom of the seventh found themselves with two runners on base and just one out. Regrettably, the Hornets quick reflexes at third base would dash the Cardinals chances of stealing another win and end the game 6-4.
The Cardinals (29 -7, 12-4 CCIW) finish their regular season play at the University of Chicago on Tuesday, May 1, with first pitch set for 3 PM. For live stats click HERE.
