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

ANGOLA, Ind. (May. 14, 2022) - Battling the NCAA Regional host school in game two, the North Central College softball team fell 4-8 to the No. 20 Trine University Thunder on Saturday.

Trine got off to a strong start in the second inning with three hits to put the Thunder on the board with two runs. North Central bounced back in the third inning with a single by Andrea Richards to begin the Cardinals' push. With Madeline Olson in to pinch run for Richards, Katie Del Re followed with a double to right center to score Olson, narrowing the score to 1-2 headed into the bottom of the third. 

A two-run homer from Trine's Ashley Swartout put the Thunder up 4-1 but the Cardinals wasted no time in the fourth inning as Alyssa Sturino answered with a two-run home run of her own to put the score back within one at 3-4. 

Senior pitcher Breanna Adams was able to shut down the Thunder lineup in the bottom of the fourth, giving the Cardinals the opportunity to tie the score up. A pair of singles by Del Re and Lynch put North Central in prime position for Del Re — the team lead for stolen bases — to steal home and bring the score to four-all.

A pair of hits and a Cardinal error gave the Thunder a three-run boost in the fifth inning, to make the score 7-4 headed to the sixth. Allison Lambert notched a single in the sixth but was left stranded. 

The sixth inning saw Trine tally two more hits, and while the Cardinals nailed an out in a rundown, it wasn't before a Thunder runner crossed home plate to give Trine the 8-4 victory. 

Sturino led the Cardinals offensively with two RBIs and two hits while Del Re totaled two hits of her own and one RBI. Gianna Corban pitched three total innings, recording three strikeouts while allowing seven hits and five runs. Adams (9-6) was given the loss while recording two strikeouts and allowing three hits and three runs. 

Weather delays pushed the Cardinals next game to Sunday at 10 a.m. where they will play University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire for an elimination game. The winner will face Trine once more in the championship game Sunday at 12 p.m.

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