CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park Softball bounced back from a rough game one to split with the Millikin University Big Blue on Friday at the Holmgren Athletic Complex. The Vikings lost game one 10-0 before hanging on for a 9-8 win in game two.
In the game one Big Blue win, Millikin's Bruno blanked the Vikings in her five innings of work in the circle. North Park managed just two hits – singles by junior right fielder Sydner Snyder and junior third baseman Kathryn Keehn.
Meanwhile, the Big Blue trotted 10 runners across the plate, hinging on RBI doubles by Davison and Palermo for the game one triumph.
Instead of wilting away in game two, North Park returned with renewed energy.
Senior second baseman Maddy Tan led off with a triple to right center, setting the tone early. Junior center fielder Eden Baker dropped down a bunt single before junior shortstop Kayla Lorenz tripled to right field, bringing Tan home. Keehn then singled through the right side, scoring Lorenz. Snyder and sophomore designated player Bella Frohwirth continued the momentum with singles, culminating in sophomore first baseman Dora Cihocki's double to center field, which scored two more runs. Junior catcher Katie Patton's sacrifice fly brought Frohwirth home, ending the inning with a 5-0 lead.
In the second inning, North Park added four more runs. Snyder hit a no-doubt grand slam to left center, scoring Keehn, Lorenz, and Baker, who had reached base on singles and a fielder's choice, to put NPU out front by a large margin, 9-0.
Millikin responded in the fourth inning with two runs. Denault pinch ran for Coates, who singled to shortstop. Davison doubled, scoring Denault, and Palermo's single brought Davison home. Millikin added another run in the fifth inning with Coates' double to right center, scoring Enlow.
The sixth inning saw Millikin's biggest push, scoring five runs. Willan's single to left field, combined with errors, allowed Zukowski and Meek to score. Condill's single up the middle brought Kobel home, and Wynn's single scored Condill, bringing the score to 9-8.
Junior Maya Lafnear navigated five innings and allowed just three earned runs before freshman Katelyn Meyer came in for two innings of relief. Meyer allowed just one hit and secured Lafnear's win, en route to the first save of her career, as the Vikings won game two, 9-8.
What's Next?
North Park (11-11, 2-2 CCIW) is right back at it on Saturday, April 12, for two games against Illinois Wesleyan University (15-7, 0-0 CCIW). First pitch for game one at Holmgren will be 1:00 PM CT.
