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

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Apr. 23, 2022) - The North Central College softball team split its doubleheader against Augustana College on Saturday afternoon as the Cardinals took game one 3-2, while the Vikings secured game two 4-3.

Augustana was the first on the board in game one as Morgan Bielfeldt hit a single with two runners on, scoring one before the Cardinals tagged her out at second. Claudia Bucholtz gave the Vikings their second and final run of game one with a solo home run in the third inning. 

Jaime Smith hit a triple in the fourth inning just before Talia Torosian hit an RBI single to left field to put North Central on the board, 1-2. A pair of singles from Alexa Sherlund and Breanna Adams in the fifth inning tied the score up at two-all. Aggressive baserunning by Alyssa Sturino put the Cardinals ahead as she took advantage of a struggling Vikings pitcher, getting on base after being hit-by-pitch, advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Torosian, stealing third, and finally scoring on a wild pitch. 

Adams and Torosian each had one RBI on one hit each. Gianna Corban started on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing three hits. Adams was credited with the win bringing her record to 9-3, striking out four and allowing no hits.

The Cardinals gained the early lead in game two as Sarah Lynch hit a single before stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error in time for Smith's RBI single to center field. A long second inning saw the Vikings score all four of their runs on six hits. 

An RBI double by Adams started the Cardinals' climb to narrow the score to 2-4 in the third inning. Sherlund had her share of RBI singles in the fourth inning, scoring Sturino to bring the score to 3-4. The last three innings saw the Cardinals rack up three hits but left three on base to drop game two, 3-4.

Adams Smith and Sherlund had the Cardinals three RBI's in game two. Six Cardinals made up the team's seven hits with Lynch leading with two. Adams pitched the first 1.2 innings bringing her record to 9-4 while allowing six hits and three runs. Corban pitched the last five innings striking out one and allowing six hits and one run. 

North Central hosts the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks on Monday, Apr. 25 for a non-conference doubleheader. The first game at Shanower Family Field is set for 2:00 p.m.

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