CHICAGO, Ill. – The North Park University softball team triumphantly returned to the Holmgren Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon, earning a pair of wins over the Millikin University Big Blue.

Game 1 Recap:

North Park put the heat on the league's top-ranked team right away, marking one run in the first inning and five in the second inning.

The Vikings worked hard for that first run as senior center fielder Ellie Manderfeld and senior first baseman Caitlyn Webb drew walks. Next, junior shortstop Alyssa Aragon dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. An RBI groundout by junior pitcher Rachael Feazelle plated Manderfeld for the first Viking run.

In the second inning, North Park piled on five runs on a pair of hits. Senior catcher Erin Penn, sophomore designated player Emily Reczek, and junior left fielder Nicole Donnawell drew walks. Next Manderfeld cracked an RBI single, Webb played Reczek on an RBI groundout, and Aragon lined a two-run single into right field to give the Vikings four consecutive runs. The scoring was capped at five runs when Aragon scored on a wild pitch.

The Vikings added one run in the fourth inning on Webb's RBI single and two runs in the sixth inning on Malicki's two-run single to right-center field. 

In the pitcher's circle, Feazelle was rock solid. The Viking starter surrendered just one earned run in seven innings of work, allowing only six hits on the way to her seventh win of the season.

FINAL: North Park 9, Millikin 2

Game 2 Recap:

North Park had to work their way back from a slight, one-run deficit in game two after the Big Blue managed a pair of hits, including an RBI single, in the first inning. However, the Vikings totaled three runs in the third inning and four runs in the fourth inning to take a significant 7-1 lead. Manderfeld singled via the bunt, Webb walked, and Aragon tied the game with an RBI single to left-center field. Next, Feazelle skipped a single up the middle to plate Webb and a savvy double steal of home scored Aragon to put North Park up, 3-1. 

In the fourth inning, Aragon, Webb, and Manderfeld loaded the bases before Feazelle ripped a bases-clearing double off the wall in right-center field. Malicki dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Feazelle to third base and Penn drove a single up the middle to conclude the fourth-inning scoring at four.

In the pitcher's circle, Malicki allowed just one earned run, struck out seven, and grabbed her sixth win of the season.

FINAL: North Park 7, Millikin 1

Quick Hits:

• Extra-base hits for Feazelle, Reczek, and Aragon
• Two complete games in the circle by Feazelle and Malicki, both allowing just one earned run in their starts
• Feazelle 2-for-3 with 4 RBI in game two
• Webb, Aragon, and Malicki all had two-RBI performances in game one
• Manderfeld and Aragon both show multi-hit performances in games one and two

What's Next?

North Park (14-10, 8-10 CCIW) has two more games tomorrow, April 18, when they take on Augustana College in Rock Island. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.