CHICAGO, Ill. -- The University of Chicago completed a doubleheader sweep of North Park Softball on Saturday at Holmgren, defeating the Vikings 9-2 in Game 1 before taking a 5-1 decision in the nightcap.
Game 1 – UChicago 9, North Park 2
North Park struck first in the opener, plating a run in the bottom of the first after senior center fielder Kayla Sapolu was hit by a pitch and later scored on senior first baseman Kathryn Keehn's sacrifice fly to center field.
UChicago responded with a three-run second inning, stringing together hits before capitalizing on a fielding error that allowed multiple runs to score. The Maroons added to their lead in the fourth with a sacrifice fly and continued to pressure North Park early.
The Vikings cut into the deficit in the fifth when senior left fielder Eden Baker reached and scored on Kayla Lorenz's RBI base hit. She moved in to scoring position earlier by swiping the 41st base of her Viking career, establishing a program record.
However, UChicago put the game away with late offense, including a four-run seventh inning to seal the win.
Audrey Hui went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Maroons, while Matilda Nelson and Natalie Antin each recorded multi-hit performances. UChicago pitching limited North Park to five hits and stranded seven runners.
Game 2 – UChicago 5, North Park 1
The nightcap remained scoreless through three innings before UChicago broke through in the fourth. A leadoff double and a throwing error set the stage for Olivia Cataldo, who launched a three-run home run to left-center to give the Maroons control of the game.
North Park answered in the bottom of the fourth when senior shortstop Kayla Lorenz homered to left, but the Vikings were unable to generate further offense against UChicago's staff. Catal added insurance with a solo home run in the fifth, accounting for four of UChicago's five runs.
Maroon pitching allowed just three hits in the game, retiring the final nine North Park batters to close out the sweep.
Top Performers
UChicago
- Olivia Cataldo — 2 HR, 4 RBI in Game 2; RBI hit in Game 1
- Audrey Hui — 3-for-4, 2 RBI in Game 1
- Matilda Nelson — Multiple hits, RBI
North Park
What's Next?
North Park (13-21, 4-6 CCIW) heads to Wheaton for a pair of games with the Thunder (13-18, 1-9 CCIW) on Saturday, April 25. First pitch at Ruth Leedy Field is set for 1:00 PM CT.
