Naperville, Ill. – The North Park softball team split a doubleheader with North Central on Thursday evening, exchanging shutouts in the process, losing 7-0 in game one and winning 2-0 in game two.
Game 1
North Central pitcher Gianna Corban held the North Park bats at bay in game one, with Alyssa Aragon and Nicole Donnawell being the only Vikings to get a hit in the game. It wasn't until the fifth when the Cardinals really broke the game open, scoring three runs to go up 6-0. North Central would put one more past NPU in the sixth to win 7-0.
Game 2
Rachael Feazelle pitched a gem in game two going all seven innings, allowing no runs, and only five hits. The Vikings failed to score a run of their own until the bottom of the sixth when Ellie Manderfeld was able to bunt herself aboard and get pushed to second base by Caitlyn Webb. On the ensuing at-bat, Aragon was facing down a full count with two outs and the Cardinal pitcher threw a ball. Manderfeld, running on the pitch with 3-2 and two outs, fooled the North Central catcher into thinking that she was trying to steal third and after the snap-throw got by the unsuspecting third baseman, Manderfeld was able to score and break the deadlock. Feazelle was the next batter, and she was able to get home Webb after forcing another error from the NCC defense, and that 2-0 lead was all Feazelle needed to close it out in the top of the seventh.
What's Next?
North Park (12-10, 6-10 CCIW) heads back home for a doubleheader with Millikin University on Saturday, April 17th. First pitch for game one is at 1 p.m.
