From University of Chicago Athletics
In its first action back in Chicagoland, the University of Chicago softball team swept a doubleheader at North Park University 10-1 and 6-3 on Wednesday.
The Maroons (9-4 record) had played their opening 11 games of the season in Florida. The Vikings fell to 1-15.
Game One – UChicago 10, North Park 1
UChicago jumped on the Vikings right away with four runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Serena Moss started the trend as the leadoff hitter by singling and immediately stealing second base. The Maroons were aggressive with their bats and on the base paths all game long. They totaled 13 hits and stole six bases.
Moss soon came around to score on senior third base Maggie O'Hara's single. Freshman outfielder Christie Ambrose plated another runner with a RBI groundout. A double steal made it 3-0 as O'Hara scored and sophomore outfielder Carly Schulz took second base. Freshman first base Holli Jones concluded the rally with a RBI single to center field.
The youngsters continued to make their presence felt in the lineup. Freshman designated player Danielle Allen knocked in one run in the second, Ambrose collected her second RBI in the fourth and Jones doubled for another RBI in the sixth. The other scores came via double by Schulz in the fourth, a single by sophomore outfielder Maeve Garvey in the sixth, and a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Sara Koniewicz in the sixth.
UChicago's pitchers kept North Park in check, limiting the hosts to only two hits over six innings. Junior Molly Moran (4-2 record) started the game in the circle and fanned five batters in five innings. She allowed one run on two hits and one walk. Freshman Megan Stoppelman entered in the bottom of the sixth and struck out the side. The game ended there via the eight-run rule.
Four different players ended up with two hits apiece – Jones (two RBI), Ambrose (two RBI), O'Hara (one RBI) and senior second base Anna Woolery.
Game Two – UChicago 6, North Park 3
The Vikings was on the board first with an unearned run in their first at-bat. By the end of the third inning, however, UChicago seized the lead for good. O'Hara's sacrifice fly tied the game and Schulz brought home the go-ahead run with a single.
The top of the fifth and sixth frames increased the lead to 6-1. O'Hara and Schulz struck again with a run-scoring single and groundout, respectively. Woolery's bunt scored a runner from third and Moss came around on a wild pitch.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, NPU got back into the game by loading the bases and then drawing a walk to force one across. A single then cut the deficit to 6-3. But sophomore pitcher Jordyne Prussak stopped the rally there by forcing a fielder's choice grounder to third. Prussak then closed out the seventh in rainy conditions to clinch the doubleheader sweep.
Stoppelman got the start in game two and improved her record to 2-1. In four innings of work, she totaled three hits, one unearned run and one strikeout. Prussak (4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K) picked up the three-inning save.
The Maroons tallied 10 hits in the contest. Ambrose went 2-for-3 and Woolery hit 2-for-4 with one RBI.