Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

WHEATON, Ill. (Apr. 2, 2021) - Competing in their third extra-inning game of the season, the North Central College softball team scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to send the game into extras, but ultimately surrendered the winning run in the button of the 12th inning to fall 8-7 at Ruth Leedy Field.

Despite both teams having scoring opportunities early in the game, neither team was able to push the first run across the plate. In the third inning, the Thunder used two singles and a walk followed by a double to start the scoring. After a sacrifice fly later in the inning, Wheaton was up 4-0 heading into the fourth.

Talia Torosian blasted her first home run of the season to get the Cardinals on the board. The Thunder added another run in the bottom of the fourth to lead, 5-1. Emily Miller posted a two-out walk followed by a double off the bat of Samantha Gadomski to advance Miller to third. Elena Stevenson singled to right to bring home Miller as North Central was within three, 5-2. 

Wheaton led off the fifth inning with a triple and later scored on an RBI single to add to their lead. In the top of the sixth inning, Kylie Ryza walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alexa Sherlund hit her home with an RBI single to right field. 

Finding themselves down 7-3 in the top of the seventh inning, North Central hit three straight singles, allowing Jaime Smith to score with no outs. Stevenson used a ground out to second base to close the Cardinals deficit to two, 7-5. Dakota Novak evened the score with a two-run single. Gianna Corban shut down the Thunder in the bottom half of the seventh to move into extra innings.

Following four scoreless innings, Sydney Heinrich began the bottom of the 12th inning with a double before advancing to third on a single. Alex Hilton followed that up with a walk-off single to give Wheaton the win, 8-7.

Due to the length of game one, game two has been rescheduled to April 19th at 3:00 PM. The contest will be held at Ruth Leedy Field in Wheaton, North Central heads to Carroll University on Tuesday afternoon looking for their fifth and sixth straight wins over the Pioneers. You can find links to full in-game coverage of that contest HERE.

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