Contact: Adam Poklop, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Mar. 31, 2019 – Bouncing back after suffering their first loss of the season a few days prior, the North Central College softball team produced a pair of wins over Carroll University in their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) opener Sunday afternoon, opening with a 13-2 rout and finishing the doubleheader by cruising to a 6-1 victory.

After showers postponed the games by a day, Sunday's doubleheader went on without a hitch—although players and spectators at Shanower Family Field were forced to endure temperatures in the mid-thirties.

North Central (14-2, 2-0 CCIW) pounced on the Pioneers (10-9, 0-2 CCIW) in the first inning, scoring all five of their first-inning runs with two outs. Emily Miller led off with a double down the left-field line, eventually scoring off an error, while Gianna Corban, Samantha Gadomski and Taylor Clugston all recorded RBI-hits.

Although Carroll got on the board in the fourth inning, Gadomski kept them hitless until the fifth inning, when they tallied a pair of hits and scored once to make it an 8-2 game, heading into the bottom of the fifth. But the fifth proved to be the final inning of the game, as the Lisa Harrington's sacrifice fly scored a run before Jaime Smith connected for a grand slam to left center field.

Miller, Breanna Adams, Smith, Gadomski and Clugton all finished with multiple hits, while Rachele Belletini tallied a game-high three runs.

North Central struck first in game two as well, scoring three in the second inning. Gianna Corban's groundout allowed one run to come home and Gadomski and Clugston added RBI hits. The Cardinals picked up another run in the top of the fourth when Carroll walked in a run, but left the bases loaded. Belletini looked like she was going to give the Cardinals their second grand slam of the day, but with the wind blowing in the Pioneer outfielder was able to make the play just shy of the warning track.

RBIs from Molly Cann and Gadomski in the fifth inning extended North Central's lead to 6-0, which proved insurmountable. The Pioneers tried to mount a comeback in the final two innings, getting a run in the sixth inning and loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but failed to capitalize as Corban maneuvered her way out of the jam.

Adams and Cann each notched three hits in the nightcap and Gadomski brought in a game-high two RBIs. In the circle, Corban struck out two Pioneers in seven innings and surrendered no earned runs.

North Central is back in action on Apr. 2, when they host the University of Chicago (5-7) for a nonconference doubleheader. Game one at Shanower Family Field is set to begin at 3 p.m.