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

DECATUR, Ill. (May. 8, 2022) - Entering the third and final day of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament the North Central College softball team dropped a heartbreaker to the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans in the championship game with the final score 3-4 in favor of the Titans. 

Katie Del Re led off for the Cardinals in the top of the first with a single to the Titans' shortstop before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Despite Del Re in a great position to score, the Titans shut down the Cardinals' next two batters heading into the bottom of the first. 

Illinois Wesleyan found their first runner on base due to a Cardinal error and advanced to second. Madison Moore drove an RBI triple to put the Titans up 1-0. With two outs and one runner on, Bailey Turner hit a single to left field to bring in Moore to give the Titans a 2-0 lead. The Titans extended their lead in the fourth inning with another RBI triple to put Illinois Wesleyan up with a  3-0 win.

Alyssa Sturino started off the fifth inning with a leadoff solo home run to put the Cardinals on the board before attempting to even the score in the sixth inning. Del Re led off with a single followed by Sarah Lynch's single to center field to put two runners on with Breanna Adams up to bat. With no outs in the inning, Adams reached on a fielder's choice while Del Re scored on an error by the Titans' second baseman. Despite the next three Cardinals making contact, the Titans shut them down to take the 3-2 win and the championship title.

Sturino had the team's only RBI while Del Re led with two of the team's six hits. Gianna Corban (16-5) started in the circle pitching four innings and allowing five hits. Adams finished out the last two innings, recording one strikeout and allowing no hits. 

The Cardinals await their fate for the NCAA Regionals tournament next weekend. The selection show begins at noon (CST) on May 9th.

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