CHICAGO, Ill. -- The North Park softball team took on the Saint Mary's Belles on a cold Tuesday, splitting the games. The Vikings took a game one win with a final score of 4-2, and dropped game two, 4-1, in favor of the Belles.
Game One: Vikings 4, Belles 2
Sophomore Maya Lafnear stepped in the circle to start the game for the Vikings, tossing a clean frame with just a leadoff walk.
The Belles notch the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. A leadoff single followed by a sac bunt with an error stacked on top gave Saint Mary's no outs with runners on 2nd and 3rd base. An RBI groundout scored an unearned run.
The Vikings didn't stay quiet for long, answering back with an Eden Baker walk and a RBI one-hopper to the left field wall from sophomore catcher Katie Patton to tie the game at 1-1.
Lafnear worked efficiently, not surrendering another run until the top of the 5th inning.
North Park worked their way to a three-run fifth inning, starting when sophomore outfielder Kayla Sapolu reached on an error and advanced to second on a passed ball. Next, sophomore third baseman Kathryn Keehn dropped down a bunt single, advancing Sapolu to third. Sophomore shortstop Kayla Lorenz knocked in Sapolu with a sac fly to right field and sophomore Salyssa Garcia drew a walk. Next, in one of her biggest swings of the season, junior second baseman Maddy Tan crushed a triple to right field, clearing the bases and giving the Vikings a 4-2 lead.
Lafnear went the distance, holding the two-run lead and earning her first win of the year on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.
Game Two: Belles 4, Vikings 1
Baker opened game two in the circle for the Vikings, handing the game off to freshman Gabby Gonzalez-Villegas after just two batters. Gonzalez-Villegas inherited a 3-1 count against the Saint Mary's #3 hitter Caitlin Traxler, who drew a walk to load the bases. A groundout to shortstop scored a run to give the Belles an early 1-0 lead, but Gonzalez-Villegas got through a tough situation nicely.
The Vikings were unable to get anything going at the plate until the fourth inning when Keehn drew a walk and advanced on a Lorenz sac bunt. Keehn scored the only run of the day after a wild pitch got past the Belle's catcher.
Saint Mary's rallies back in the top of the fifth, scoring 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 errors.
Gonzalez-Villegas went the distance in what can essentially be viewed as a "start", tossing 7 IP, allowing 3 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, and picking up 2 Ks in relief.
The Belles won game two, 4-1, over the Vikings.
- Lafnear tosses a complete game, earning her first win: 7 IP, 1 K, 7 H, 1 ER
- Gonzalez-Villegas goes 7 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 2 Ks
- Katie Patton goes 2-for-3 in game one, knocking in 1 run with a pair of doubles
- Maddy Tan picks up a 2 RBI triple in game one
- Kayla Sapolu goes 2-for-4 in game two
- Kathryn Keehn and Salyssa Garcia draw 2 walks each in game two
North Park (4-9) will host non-conference opponent University of Chicago on Wednesday, March 27. First pitch at Holmgren is set for 3:00 PM.
