Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Apr. 27, 2023) - Authoring an exciting finish to its 2023 campaign, the North Central College softball team handed Illinois Wesleyan University its first conference loss Thursday as the teams split their College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) double header at Inspiration Field.

The Titans took the first game, 8-4, before a five-run second inning pushed North Central into the lead in the second contest. The Cardinals held on to win, 9-4, posting their highest run total of the season.

The visitors scored the first run of the opener in the first inning, as Sarah Lynch walked and scored on a double by Alyssa Sturino. The game was tied, 1-1, in the fifth when the Titans (19-12, 9-1 CCIW) rallied with two outs to score five runs on three straight singles, a walk and an error. 

North Central (9-24, 5-11) scored three runs in the sixth as Emma Friedlund came through with a two-run single and Bailey Miller brought home a run with a groundout. 

The Cardinals also scored first in the nightcap, as Katie Del Re led off with a walk and later scored on an error. The hosts scored three runs in the top of the second inning before North Central embarked upon its most productive inning of the season.

Ally Sporleder led off with a walk, and Del Re reached on an infield single before stealing second. Lynch was walked to load the bases, and Talia Torosian's single to center field brought Sporleder home. Sturino followed with a two-run single up the middle before RBI base hits by Allison Lambert and Friedlund.

Sturino and Lambert drew consecutive two-out walks in the third inning to set the stage for another two-run base hit by Friedlund to extend the Cardinals' lead to 8-4. Torosian, who went 3 for 4 in the second game, closed the scoring in the fifth with a solo home run to center field, Torosian's second of the season and the eighth of her career.

Lauren Bowmar pitched all seven innings to earn the win (4-7), striking out two and walking two. 
 
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