CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park Softball fell in a pair of games at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field in a doubleheader with U-Chicago on Tuesday afternoon. The Maroons won game one 8-0 before an 11-5 win in game two.
Game One Recap
The Vikings had a hard time getting anything going off U-Chicago's Paige Heffke in game on. The Maroons' starting pitcher tossed five innings and allowed just one hit – a double by junior outfielder Kayla Sapolu – striking out five NPU hitters.
The Maroons struck for three runs in the first and four in the fifth. That first inning was highlighted by Leila Sims' RBI triple and the fifth saw a two-run home run by Martinez. U-Chicago walked it off for a five-inning win on Natalie Antin's RBI single.
Game Two Recap
A slow start in game two saw North Park trailing early, needing to climb back from an 8-2 deficit through three innings. The Maroons tallied three runs in the third on one hit and three free passes and added two more in the fifth on an RBI single for Antin and solo shot by Martinez. For the Vikings, a bases loaded walk for junior outfielder Sydney Snyder in the first inning gave NPU its first run of the game and senior second baseman Maddy Tan's RBI single in the second plated the Vikings' second run.
North Park added two more runs in the fourth on a sac fly from junior shortstop Kayla Lorenz and another RBI single by Tan, closing in on the Maroons, 8-4.
Unfortunately, a solo shot by junior catcher Katie Patton, her second home run of the season, would be the only other Viking run scored. The Maroons scored two in the fifth and one in the sixth to beat North Park, 11-5.
What's Next?
North Park (9-9) finally returns home on Sunday, April 6, for a doubleheader with Elmhurst University (3-8-1). First pitch at Holmgren is set for 1:00 PM CT.
