CLERMONT, Fl. – The North Park softball team had no problem Friday, running away with a couple five inning victories, the first 13-1 over Ripon College before outdoing that in the second against Lawrence University in a 14-1 decision. In the first game, Isa Santos tied a school record for runs scored in a game with four.
The Vikings had no problem lifting off against the Red Hawks in game one and it was all due to the red-hot bat of Alyssa Malicki. With Santos, Alyssa Aragon, and Rachael Feazelle stuffing the bases Malicki went yard over the left field wall for her first career grand slam and her fourth dinger of the year. It was four more runs in the second as well for NPU, as RBI singles from Aragon and Malicki plus a two-run single from Feazelle, made it 8-0. Two bases loaded walks in the third made it a double-digit lead before the bats came back out in the fourth as an RBI groundout from Feazelle and a two RBI triple from Aragon made it 13-0.
When Santos scored on the Aragon triple, she became the ninth Viking in history to score four runs in a game, marking the first time it has happened since Paige Massa did it against Carroll in 2015.
Malicki picked up the win, pitching the first three innings, allowing no runs on two hits, with five strikeouts and no walks. Katie Creager would pitch the final two innings, allowing just one run on two hits.
Final: North Park 13, Ripon 1
Taking on Lawrence University, the pitching wasn't too bad in game two either for NPU as Rachael Feazelle pitched all five innings for the blue and yellow enroute to only allowing one run on three hits, four strikeouts, and no walks.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the top of the second saw Aragon step to the plate with the bases juiced only to be completely cleared on a three-run double by the senior captain. The other senior captain, Feazelle, followed that up with a double of her own, scoring Aragon to make it 4-1, then Malicki brought home Feazelle on a base-hit to make it five.
It was the bottom of the fourth that put the game on ice for North Park when they brought in nine runs to get themselves to the precipice of another mercy rule. Feazelle sparked the run with a solo homer, followed by an Alli Patrick double that would score Malicki, and an error by Lawrence that allowed Patrick to score.
Later in the inning, Aragon found herself back at the plate with bases sold out and again cranked a three-RBI double to make it 12-1. Aragon would finish game two 4-4 with three runs scored and six RBIs. In the ten spring break games, she has brought 29 runs across for NPU. Malicki parroted her shortstop with a double of her own, scoring two, and putting North Park up 13, a margin by which they would win.
Final: North Park 14, Lawrence 1
What's Next?
North Park (7-3) returns home from a successful Florida trip, only to take back to the road again on Wednesday, March 23rd. They will play a doubleheader at St. Mary's College (4-5) at 3 PM and 5 PM in Notre Dame, Indiana.
