Contact: Sam Fretto, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (Apr. 29, 2025)- Concluding their regular season with a doubleheader against the Lake Forest Foresters, the North Central College softball team split the games with a 2-1 victory and an 8-0 loss on Tuesday at Mohr Field. 

The Cardinals started the game off loading the bases with one out but came away empty, striking out in back-to-back at-bats. North Central threatened again in the third with runners on first and second after back-to-back walks from Gracie Vlach and Talia Torosian, and nobody out, but didn't score, leaving both Vlach and Torosian stranded. The Cardinals loaded the bases again in the sixth inning with a Sydney Nienhouse walk, a Rachael Madsen walk, and a Vlach single. With two outs, Torosian hit a fly ball to right field, which got caught to end the inning. 

Sam Schilf got the start in game one and dominated the Foresters' lineup, facing the minimum through four innings. Schilf pitched six scoreless frames, entering the seventh inning 0-0. 
Hannah Smith of the Foresters took a shutout into the seventh, and with one out, Ronnie Latka singled to center field. She advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Megan Traxinger, who pinch-hit for Kayla Crabtree, roped a single to left field, advancing Latka to third. With the go-ahead run on third, Lauren Bowmar grounded out to third, advancing pinch runner Carley Creeth to second. With two outs and runners on second and third, Bailey Miller sent a ball off the left field wall for the go-ahead two-RBI double to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh. 

Schilf entered the seventh searching for the complete game shutout but got into a jam. Lake Forest led off with a double by Cadence Dempsey. She advanced to third on a bunt single by Emmie Nyen. With one out and runners on second and third, Kyla Chevalier hit a sacrifice fly to right field, putting the Foresters on the board. Schilf retired the next batter with a flyout to right field for the 2-1 victory. 

Schilf went seven innings, allowing just one run with five hits and one walk while striking out three. Miller's two-RBI double gave her her 11th and 12th of the season. 

The Foresters jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning of game two after an RBI single through the left side, a two-RBI double to right field, and an RBI triple to right center field. Lake Forest added two in the fourth, one in the fifth, and walked it off in the sixth with a solo home run from Dempsey to make it 8-0. Lake Forest's pitching got the best of North Central's offense in game two as the Cardinals only had five base runners all game. 

Taylor Warren got the start and received the loss pitching 3.2 innings, surrendering six runs, five earned, allowing six hits, walking three, and striking out one. Schilf finished the game pitching two innings, giving up two runs on three hits, and striking out one. 

The Cardinals finish the regular season with a record of 19-21 with a 7-9 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin record. North Central has qualified for the CCIW Softball Tournament held from May 8-10. Their opponent is to be announced. 

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