Photo credit: Paige Wilcox
CHICAGO, Ill. -- In two nail-biter games, the North Park University softball team escaped a double-header with a sweep after winning each game by one run. Alyssa Malicki and Rachael Feazelle each grabbed wins for the Vikings in complete game performances.
Game 1
It was a battle of the pitchers in game one. Malicki threw a gem for the Vikings, after she allowed a run in the top of the first inning, she threw the final 6.1 innings scoreless, striking out seven on the day. After going down 1-0, the Vikings answered with a Feazelle double in the bottom of the first to score Ellie Manderfeld. The only other run when Manderfeld again scored when Feazelle drew a bases loaded walk send home the winning run. Manderfeld went 2-3 on the day and her two runs tied her with her coach Katie Anderson's North Park record of 103 career runs scored.
Game 2
It was a dramatic finale yet again for the North Park women at home, as Erin Penn hit a walk-off single in extra innings to score Alyssa Aragon and win the second game for the hosts. The Duhawks came out swinging, scoring four runs in the first two innings before starting pitcher Feazelle regained control and threw the final seven innings scoreless. It was a two-RBI double from Brigid Early that got the Vikings on the board in the bottom of the fourth, and one inning later Feazelle helped her own cause by slapping in a two-RBI double of her own to even the score at four. Things remained square until the bottom of the ninth when Aragon reached on an error, Feazelle hit a single, and Malicki walked on four pitches to load the bases for Penn who skipped a single to left field to win the game for North Park.
Quick Hits:
What's Next?
After playing four games in two days, North Park (5-1) gets a week-long break before hosting Augustana College in a double-header on Sunday, March 21st. First pitch for game one there will be 1 p.m. at Holmgren Athletic Complex.
