NAPERVILLE, Ill. – North Park Softball lost a pair of close games at North Central on Wednesday afternoon. The Vikings dropped game one 4-2 before a 2-1 loss in game two.

North Park struck first in game one when junior third baseman Kathryn Keehn plated junior shortstop Kayla Lorenz, who reached with a walk, on a double to right-center.

After a 1-2-3 inning for freshman pitcher Raquel Hare, the Cardinals cracked a two-out grand slam in the fourth.

The Vikings added a run in the seventh on an infield error and had the bases loaded with no outs, but the next three hitters would strike out, line out, and ground out to end the game.

In game two, freshman pitcher Kate Meyer would toss six innings of relief, scattering five hits while surrendering just two runs, in a hard-luck loss. The Cardinals' pitcher, Juliana Maude, went all seven innings, allowing only one earned run while fanning six. 

Junior center fielder Eden Baker was 2-for-3 with the lone NPU run scored, while junior catcher Katie Patton was 2-for-2 and drove her in. Both Vikings had a double.

What's Next?

North Park (11-15, 2-6 CCIW) welcomes Trinity Christian College and its head coach, Viking record holder Ellie Manderfeld, back to the Holmgren Athletic Complex on Friday, April 18. First pitch for game one is set for 1:00 PM CT.