CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park softball took a game from North Central, one of the top defensive teams in Division III Softball, on Thursday afternoon. The Vikings picked up a 2-1 win in game one thanks to a clutch double by sophomore third baseman Kathryn Keehn, before an 8-0 loss in game two. The Vikings also celebrated the careers of seniors Eliza Rex, Isa Santos, and Coach Alyssa Aragon following the game one win.

The first two innings of game one were scoreless, as North Central's Juliana Maude was working on a no-hitter while the Vikings' starter, freshman Gabby Gonzalez-Villegas, scattered three hits through the first three innings.

North Park would break the no-hit bid in the third when senior right fielder Isa Santos singled to right field and advanced to second on a walk by junior second baseman Maddy Tan.

Sophomore center fielder Eden Baker dropped down a perfect bunt for hit but was deemed out by the home plate umpire on contact with a live ball. Now with two outs, Keehn wasted no time, crunching the first pitch she saw into center field for a double, plating Santos.

Following a walk to sophomore shortstop Kayla Lorenz to load the bases, North Park capped the scoring on a bases-loaded passed ball, bringing in Tan.

This is all Gonzalez-Villegas would need as the freshman from Tampa, Florida navigated the Cardinals' lineup perfectly in the fourth through sixth innings. The lone NCC run arrived in the seventh when a leadoff double led to a run through a sac fly by the Cardinals' Carley Creeth.

• Gonzalez-Villegas picks up the important win: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K's
• Keehn with an RBI double
• Sophomore left fielder Sydney Snyder the only Viking with two knocks
• Lorenz and Santos each with a hit

Game two was a tough hill to climb, as the Vikings had to face one of the best pitchers in DIII Softball, Sam Schilf, who boasted a 1.11 ERA entering the doubleheader. Schilf held NPU to just two hits in a shutout win for the Cards, as singles by Baker and Tan were the only NPU knocks.

North Park (10-22, 5-7 CCIW) continues its adventure towards a CCIW Tournament bid this weekend when the Vikings travel to Elmhurst University for a doubleheader with the Bluejays. First pitch on April 27 is set for noon at Salt Creek Park.