LISLE, Ill. -- The Vikings softball team split a doubleheader with Benedictine University, winning Game 1 before dropping the second matchup. The game one win represented number 100 for Head Coach Katie Anderson.
SP Maya Lafnear went the distance for the Vikings to open up the double-header, allowing 0 ER, 4 H, and 2 BB while striking out 5 batters. The freshman starter nearly picked up the first CGSO of her career if not for two unearned runs in the first inning.
Despite Lafnear's efforts on the mound, the Vikings found themselves trailing 1-2 through the 4th inning as the result of a dormant offense. The North Park bats erupted soon after to put up four runs in back-to-back innings and establish a 9-2 lead that would later go final.
In the 5th, all four of those runs came on one swing off the bat of Kayla Lorenz. The grand slam marks a career first for the freshman shortstop. The next inning saw the Vikings take on a more methodical offensive approach, chipping away at the Eagles pitching with run after run. Kathryn Keehn kicked things off by stealing home on a passed ball before Isa Santos notched a base hit to plate North Park's second run of the inning. Lorenz followed that up with her fifth RBI of the game—this time on a fielder's choice—before Emily Reczek did her job by driving in a run despite grounding out to second base.
NPU's bats failed to carry that momentum on over to Game 2 though as NPU was shutout by a score of 8-0. The Vikings had no answer for Benedictine's starter Jasmine Lozano, who made it through 5.2 of the game's 6 innings without allowing a single hit. Breaking up the no-hitter was Kayla Sapolu, whose 3 hits on the day were the most among Vikings' hitters.
What's Next?
The Vikings are back at it again on Thursday, March 30, with another doubleheader, this time as host against the Wheaton Thunder who mark North Park's first conference opponent of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 P.M. at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.
