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North Park University Athletics

sapoluutica24
2
North Park NPU 11-26
3
Winner North Central NCC 29-10
North Park NPU
11-26
2
Final
3
North Central NCC
29-10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
North Park NPU 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 7 2
North Central NCC 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 7 0

W: Maude (13-4) L: Gonzalez-Villegas, Gabby (2-8)

Game Recap: Softball | | Tyler Woolbright

Clutch knocks by Tan and Sapolu not enough as Vikings Softball ends season in Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – North Park Softball bowed out of the 2024 CCIW Tournament on Thursday afternoon. The Vikings nearly forced extra innings against North Central, but the Cardinals prevailed with a 3-2 victory at Inspiration Field.

North Park had a pair of runners on base in their first trip to the plate on consecutive singles by sophomore third baseman Kathryn Keehn and sophomore shortstop Kayla Lorenz. However, a lineout and popout stifled the threat.

North Central took advantage of a pair of errors in their first trip to the plate while utilizing three singles to score a pair of runs.

The Vikings cut into that Cardinal lead in the second inning. Sophomore outfielder Kayla Sapolu singled down the right-field line before junior second baseman Maddy Tan came up to the plate with two outs. Tan cracked her own oppo hit, this time a double to right-center to easily score Sapolu.

After giving up a pair of runs in the first, NPU's starting pitcher Gabby Gonzalez-Villegas tossed five zeros, including a hitless fourth and fifth inning, to keep the Vikings in the ballgame.

With the season on the line, Sapolu led off the seventh with a clutch triple into right-center, presenting the tying run on third base. Continuing to come through in big spots, Tan skipped an infield single, briefly knocked down by the Cardinals' pitcher, to tie the game at 2-2.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals would walk it off in the seventh. A pair of walks put runners on first and second before Rachael Madsen delivered the dagger with an RBI single up the middle.


qh quick hits

  • Lorenz, Tan, and Sapolu with 2-for days
    • Sapolu with a leadoff triple to start a rally in the seventh
    • Sapolu also scored both Viking runs as Tan was responsible for driving her in twice
  • Gonzalez-Villegas strikes out three in 6.2 IP
  • NCC's Maude with the win, her 13th of the season


what's next story

North Park concludes its season with an 11-26 record and sixth-place finish in the CCIW race. Thank you to seniors Isa Santos and Eliza Rex for their many hours of dedication to North Park University and NPU Softball.


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