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

CHICAGO (Apr. 25, 2024) - Splitting a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) double header for the third straight day, the North Central College softball team closed out conference regular-season play Thursday at North Park University.

The hosts posted a 2-1 victory in the opener before North Central dominated the second game in an 8-0, five-inning shutout at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.

The Vikings (10-22, 5-7 CCIW) broke a scoreless tie in the third inning of the first game, as Izzy Santos singled and Maddy Tan walked before Kathryn Keen's double pushed across the first run. Tan later scored on a passed ball with two away.

The Cardinals made a strong comeback bid in the seventh as Rachael Madsen led off with a double, then advanced to third on Lauren Bowmar's single. Carley Creeth's flyout to right scored Madsen and narrowed the gap to a single run before North Park secured the final out.

Juliana Maude was assigned the loss (11-3) despite allowing just one earned run and five hits, striking out two and walking two.

North Central (25-9, 10-6) put its stamp on the nightcap with a three-run second inning. The visitors loaded the bases as Creeth was hit by a pitch, Emma Friedlund singled and Caroline Dooley walked. Katie Del Re opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly and Sarah Lynch came through with a two-run single.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs in the third and went on to tally four more runs. Madsen reached on an error, Bowmar singled and Creeth walked before Madsen crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Friedlund followed with an RBI single and Del Re delivered a two-run double down the left-field line as the lead swelled to 7-0.

The guests plated their eighth and final run in the fifth as Dooley led off with a single and scored on a base hit by Lynch.

Sam Schilf pitched all five innings to earn the victory (5-2), yielding just two hits and one walk while striking out two. Schilf has allowed only three earned runs in 38-2/3 innings in conference play.

The Cardinals are idle until Tuesday, when they host Benedictine University (19-11) in a rescheduled non-conference twin bill at Shanower Family Field. Play is scheduled to get under way at 4:00 p.m. Click HERE for the full 2024 schedule and live coverage options. 

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