Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

CLERMONT, Fla. (Mar. 18, 2022) - After the weather canceled both games on Wednesday, the North Central College softball team played three games on its final day of the spring break trip, sweeping University of Minnesota Morris 5-0, SUNY Geneseo 5-1, and Curry College 1-0 to finish with a 6-2 record in Florida. 

In its shut-out over Morris (3-7), North Central got ahead in the second inning as Andrea Richards reached on an error and wasted no time moving around the bases on Alyssa Texta's double to right field. Alexa Sherlund reached on a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Katie Del Re. Sarah Lynch hit a single to center field giving Sherlund enough distance to score, putting the Cardinals up 2-0 heading into the fourth. 

The fourth inning saw the Cardinals bats moving with five consecutive hits led by Richards's single to left field, she advanced to third on an error just before Texta came in with another double to center to score Richards. Gianna Corban singled through the right side to score Texta. Sherlund and Del Re hit a pair of singles to load the bases just in time for Lynch to reach on an error, scoring Corban. North Central took down Morris, 5-0.

Pitching five innings against Morris, Corban struck out 14 and allowed only a single hit. Seven North Central batters totaled eight hits, led by Texta with two doubles.

Game two for the Cardinals featured the SUNY Geneseo Knights (6-2) and saw all eight North Central batters in the top two innings make contact, but they struggled to find a way to utilize those at-bats until the third inning. With Sherlund on base with a single and advancing on a sacrifice bunt and Lynch's hit-by-pitch, the Cardinals were in perfect position for Alyssa Sturino's triple to right-center scoring two RBIs and putting the Cardinals up 2-0. The momentum was still at the plate for Jaime Smith as she crushed a home run to left field for two RBIs and pulled North Central ahead 4-0.

The Cardinals' last run of game two came in the fourth inning as Kylie Ryza walked and later picked up a couple of bags on a grounder and wild pitch. With Ryza on third, Del Re hit a single through the left side to pick up an RBI making the score 5-0. Late in the seventh inning, Geneseo finally found their opportunity to score with Olivia Fazio's single and base running put her on second in time for Audrey Minton's single to center field. Despite their late push, Geneseo fell to the Cardinals 5-1.

Pitching a complete game, Corban struck out seven while surrendering one earned run on seven hits. 

Game three against Curry College (1-5) was scoreless until the third inning when Del Re reached on an error. Del Re stole second before Lynch's sacrifice bunt advanced her to third and Sturino's sacrifice fly scored Del Re for the Cardinals' only run of the night. Curry's Lexi Buckner walked and had Hailey King pinch-running. Taylor McDermott singled through the right side advancing King to second but she was eventually left stranded as Corban struck out the next two batters. 

Breanna Adams pitched the first five innings securing five strikeouts and allowing only three hits before Corban came in for the final two innings striking out five and allowing one hit. Adams was credited with the win (3-2) while Corban received her first save on the season. 

North Central concluded their spring break trip with a 6-2 record and will head back North to take on the No. 17 Milwaukee School of Engineering on Mar. 24 at Infinity Fields in Milwaukee, Wis. The first game of the double-header is set for 2:30 p.m.

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