Contact:
Adam Poklop, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Apr. 23, 2019) – Stumped by the top pitcher in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), the North Central College softball team fell by scores of 7-4 and 2-0 to the sixth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University (27-6, 12-0 CCIW) in a conference doubleheader Tuesday.
The Titans got on the board in the first inning of the opener with a sacrifice fly and added another run the following inning when Mia Massaro doubled to left field. Facing a two-run deficit in the fourth inning, North Central's offense exploded for three runs.
Jaime Smith and
Samantha Gadomski got things started with back-to-back singles, while
Taylor Clugston reached on an error to load the bases. Illinois Wesleyan committed two more errors on the following play, allowing three runs to score and for the Cardinals to go ahead 3-2
But North Central's lead was short-lived, as the Titans scored four runs in the bottom-half of the inning to reclaim the lead. After she walked in a run in the fifth, the Titans replaced Brea Walker in the circle with Ally Wiegand, who promptly struck out two Cardinals, forcing them to leave the bases loaded.
A run in the sixth gave Illinois Wesleyan a little more of a cushion and Wiegand retired the side in order to the end the game.
Breanna Adams fell to 8-5 with the loss, surrendering six earned runs in 3.2 innings.
Walker improved to 11-3 with the win, while Wiegand earned her third save of the season.
At the plate,
Emily Miller,
Molly Cann and
Jaime Smith all went two-for-four, with Smith scoring a pair of runs. Harrington picked up both of the team's RBIs.
Game two was a pitcher's duel, as Wiegand got the start for the Titans. The Junior leads CCIW pitchers with 167 strikeouts, 16 wins and an ERA of 0.44.
Like in the opener, Illinois Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead with an unearned run in the first and added a run in the third with an RBI double from Shelby Folk.
North Central found their best scoring opportunity in the third inning, when Miller knocked a double and was able to advance to third when
Rachele Belletini singled to center field. But the Cardinals couldn't find a way to move Miller another sixty feet across the plate to get a run on the board. That would prove the only multiple-hit inning for the Cardinals, who wouldn't get a baserunner past first for the remainder of the game.
Despite the shutout, Belletini had a tremendous game at the plate, going three-for-three. Miller (one-for-four) owned North Central's only extra-base hit.
Gianna Corban moved to 10-6 with the loss, surrendering one earned run and no walks in seven innings.
Wiegand's win puts her at 16-2, striking out six in her seventh shutout of the season.
North Central (23-11, 7-5 CCIW) looks to rebound on Thursday, Apr. 25 when they host North Park University, with game time at Shanower Family Field set for 3 p.m.
