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

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. (Apr. 17, 2019) – Playing in their second College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) doubleheader in as many days, the North Central College softball team hit their way to a pair of wins over Wheaton College with a 13-4 route in the opener followed by a 4-2 victory game two at Ruth Leedy Field Wednesday. 

North Central's offensive might was on full display all-day long, establishing a new-season high with 17 hits in game one and matching their season-high for runs scored.

The Cardinals wasted no time getting on the board in the opener, capitalizing on a pair of Thunder errors to take a 2-0 lead with their first at bats. But, Wheaton found a quick answer in the bottom half of the inning, knocking three hits and scoring twice to tie the game. It seemed the team's were prepared for a back-and-forth contest, but the Thunder only found three more hits in the game, and the next time they crossed the plate the game was well out of reach.

In the second inning, Emily Miller singled to left field to drive in one run, while Molly Cann hammered a double into the gap in right center field to bring in two more, putting the Cardinals back ahead, 5-2, after two innings. Adding a run in the third and in the fourth, North Central's offense exploded the fifth inning, which saw the Cardinals bat around as they scored six runs on four hits, with the aid of two more Wheaton errors. 

The Thunder cut the lead to single-digits with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it proved too little, too late.

Breanna Adams earned the win, moving to 8-3 on the season. The freshman struck out one and walked two in five frames, while allowing just one earned run. Adams helped out her team offensively too, going three-for-four at the plate with 2 RBIs and a run.

The Cardinals were also led by Rachele Belletini (three-for-four, two runs and one RBI) and Cann (three-for-five, one run and one RBI), while Miller led all batters with three RBIs.

Kelly Thornton (10-8) absorbed the loss for the Wheaton, facing 13 batters in 1.2 innings while giving up five runs, three earned. The six erros committed by Wheaton fielders proved costly as only six of North Central's 13 runs were earned. 

Adams started things off for the Cardinals in the nightcap with a single to center field that brought two runs across the plate for a 2-0 lead in the first innings. North Central added two more runs in the fourth inning, with RBI-singles from Miller and Belletini.

The Thunder found a pair of RBI-singles of their own in the top of the sixth, but couldn't get anything going, leaving runners on the corners. After getting two quick outs in the seventh, a fielding error followed by a wild pitch allowed Wheaton to put a runner in scoring position with the potentially tying run at the plate, but Gianna Corban struck her out to end the game.

North Central got another superb performance from Corban (10-4) in the circle, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning while striking out three and surrendering just one earned run.

Two Cardinals recorded multiple hits, as Cann went two-for-two with two walks and a run, while Belletini was two-for-four with a run and an RBI. Adams tallied a game-high two RBIs.

North Central (23-7, 7-1 CCIW) travels to Decatur, Illinois on Saturday, Apr. 20 for a doubleheader with Millikin University (20-8, 4-6 CCIW). First pitch at Workman Family Softball Field is set for 1 p.m., for live stats click HERE.