CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park softball finally got their home openers in on Sunday, splitting a pair of games. The Vikings fell to the U-Chicago Maroons 8-2 before beating the Loras Duhawks 4-2.
Game One: Maroons 8, Vikings 2
Against the Maroons, the Vikings scratched a run across in the first trip to the plate on sophomore Salyssa Garcia's double to right-center, bringing home sophomore center fielder Kayla Sapolu who had reached on an error.
However, after a scoreless first, U-Chicago utilized four free passes and a pair of hits, including a two-run triple by Natalie Antin, to capture a 4-1 lead. The Maroons added two more in the third on a sac fly and RBI single, extending their lead to 6-1 as the Vikings' bats could not get that big hit.
The Vikings manufactured a run in the sixth when freshman first baseman Dora Cihocki singled to left field to score sophomore third baseman Kathryn Keehn. However, the Maroons got one back plus one in the seventh to earn an 8-2 victory.
Game Two: Vikings 4, Duhawks 2
The only hit for the first two innings for either team was a single through the left side by Garcia in the Vikings' first trip to the plate. North Park starting pitcher Eden Baker and Loras tosser Sam Rulli traded a pair of scoreless frames, but the Vikings were set to open the scoring.
In the third inning, senior right fielder Isa Santos drew a walk before Sapolu cracked a double down the left field line, bringing Santos all the way home.
Next, after Keehn dropped down a perfect bunt to put runners on the corners, sophomore shortstop Kayla Lorenz dropped a single into left, plating Sapolu.
Baker would blank the Duhawks in the third, surrendering only a walk to keep NPU up 2-0. Loras marked their first run in the fourth inning on an RBI single, but North Park would get a 2-for deal in their next trip to the plate.
After Sapolu walked to lead off the fifth for the Vikings, a pair of foulouts and a wild pitch would lead to a runner on second. Next, cracking her second double of the day, Garcia would drive an inside pitch off the left-field fence on the hop, bringing Sapolu home.
Senior second baseman Maddy Tan drew a walk before Baker kept the two-out scoring going with an infield single leading to a throwing error, which scored Garcia. 4-2 NPU.
Baker would surrender her only earned run of the game in the fifth when a pair of singles, a groundout, and a wild pitch closed the gap to two runs, but the sophomore lefty would spin a scoreless sixth and seventh to secure her third win of the season.
- Garcia cracks a pair of doubles, improves season batting average to .400
- Baker tosses a complete game in her third win: 5 K's, 5H, 1 ER
- Sapolu with two runs scored and a double in the win over Loras
North Park (3-8) will continue its non-conference home stretch with two games against Saint Mary's College on Tuesday, March 26. First pitch at Holmgren is set for 3:00 PM.
