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

CLERMONT, Fla. (Mar. 14, 2024) - Claiming victories of two very different kinds, the North Central College softball team swept its two games at Hancock Park Thursday, posting an 11-0 shutout of the State University of New York at Fredonia before rallying in the seventh inning to post a dramatic 3-2 triumph over Montclair State University (New Jersey).

The Cardinals (10-2) put their stamp on the game against Fredonia (3-7) with a six-run second inning as their first five batters reached safely. Lauren Bowmar led off with a double and scored on a single by Rachael Madsen, who stole second before coming home on Carley Creeth's base hit. Bailey Miller drove Creeth home with a single and executed a double steal with Sarah Lynch, as Miller stole second and Lynch stole home. Miller then scored on a Gracie Vlach groundout and Katie Del Re walked and stole second before scoring the inning's final run on a double by Talia Torosian.

North Central tacked on two runs in the third as Creeth scored on an error and Vlach singled to drive home Lynch. Emalee-Ann Potocki led off the fourth inning and was hit by a pitch before scoring on Hailey Morsovillo's double, and the Cardinals' final two runs in the fifth came on a double by Del Re and a groundout by Morsovillo. 

Sam Schilf pitched four shutout innings to earn the victory (1-1), allowing just one hit. Torosian went 2 for 2 at the plate while Creeth was 2 for 3 and Vlach and Madsen each finished 2 for 4.

Montclair State (4-4) jumped in front by plating a run in the top of the first inning, though the Cardinals countered in the bottom half as Vlach and Del Re singled before Torosian brought Vlach home with a sacrifice fly. The Red Hawks, however, scored on an error in the second inning and carried their 2-1 advantage into the seventh and final frame.

With two away in the inning, pinch hitter Kayla Crabtree opened the game-winning rally by hammering a double to left-center field. Vlach followed with a single and Del Re reached on an error which allowed Miller, pinch-running for Crabtree, to cross the plate and tie the game. Torosian stepped to the plate and laced a single through the left side, enabling Vlach to score the winning run.

Torosian went 2 for 3 in the nightcap while Vlach went 2 for 4. Juliana Maude pitched all seven innings to get the win (4-0), yielding two hits and a walk while striking out four.

The Cardinals conclude their Spring Break schedule Friday, taking on Wisconsin Lutheran College at 11:15 a.m. and Mount St. Joseph University (Ohio) at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee. Live video coverage is available on a pay-per-view basis at www.flosoftball.com. 

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