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

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

APR. 16, 2019 - Combining for 13 strikeouts on the day, the North Central College softball team's pitchers excelled in their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) doubleheader against Carthage College Tuesday, as the hosts took game one 4-3 only fell 2-0 in the second game for their first shutout loss of the season.  

North Central (21-7, 5-1 CCIW) had their work cut out in the opener, facing one of the conference's toughest pitchers in Stefanie Guercio. Heading into the game, the junior led CCIW pitchers with a .64 ERA and 137 strikeouts. But the Cardinals rose to the challenge, led by Breanna Adams' stellar play on either side of the field.  

The Lady Reds found all their runs in the game's first two innings. In the top of the first, Naomi Alonzo hit an RBI-double to right center, while Kelsey Domagala hit an RBI-double of her own in the second inning and Alexandra Millett drove in Carthage's final run.

After a pair of 1-2-3 innings, North Central got the bats going in the third inning. Breann Adams led off with a single to center field and Emily Miller doubled down the left field line to bring the first Cardinals across the plate.

In the bottom of the fourth, Molly Cann and Jaime Smith each knocked one-out singles through the middle, followed by a walk from Samantha Gadomski to load the base. Adams smashed a bases-clearing double to deep right center field to clear the bases and put the Cardinals ahead, 4-3.

North Central didn't find any insurance runs but they didn't need them as Adams held Carthage hitless in the game's final three innings.

Adams was dominant from both the circle and at the plate. The freshman allowed just one walk and established a new season-high for strikeouts with six. Batting two-for-three with three RBIs, Adams provided her team the offensive spark they needed.

Molly Cann went two-for-three with a run, while Miller recorded her eighth double of the season.  

Gianna Corban dazzled in the nightcap, striking out six of the first seven batters she faced while retiring the first ten batters in order.  Rylee Johnson gave Carthage their first baserunner of the game in the fourth inning, and Ellie Bernero doubled to deep left field to bring across a run.

North Central didn't find their first hit until the sixth inning, when Miller singled to right field. Jordan Raszeja followed with a blooper down the right field line, just outside the reach of the Carthage outfielder to put two runners on with one out. But when Rachele Belletini flied out to center field and Miller tried to take third, she was thrown out at the bag to end the inning.

Bernero knocked an RBI-triple in the bottom of the sixth to push the Lady Reds' lead to 2-0 with a little breathing room heading into the final at-bats for North Central.

Cann led off in the seventh inning with a single to left centerfield, prompting Carthage to replace Naomi Alonzo with Ellie Bernero in the circle. But Smith found the gap between the third basemen and shortstop for a single. A wild pitch during the next advanced the runners sixty feet, with both now in scoring position. Despite the swing in momentum, Bernero retired the next three Cardinals in order to end the game.

Corban moved to 9-4 with the loss, finishing with seven strikeouts and one walk. Both of Carthage's runs were earned.   

North Central has a quick turnaround with another CCIW doubleheader tomorrow at Wheaton College (15-15, 6-3 CCIW). First pitch at Ruth Leedy Field is set for 3 p.m., live stats are available HERE.