Roosevelt Earns Split With Trolls In CCAC Action

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Roosevelt's offense came alive in the second game of a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader to earn a split with Trinity Christian on Friday at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont.

The Lakers (8-14, 3-1 CCAC) dropped the first game of the twinbill against the Trolls after stranding nine runners on base in a 5-1 loss. However, Roosevelt drove in those runners in the second game and took down Trinity Christian 5-2 in the nightcap to stay atop the CCAC.

There was no better way to script the first three batters of the opener for the Lakers. Ella Dvoracek laid down a gorgeous bunt single up the third-base line then Anaisa Lozada walked and Emily Zuniga reached on a sacrifice bunt fielder's choice that left the bases loaded. However, the Lakers could not find the hit to open the scoring then stranded runners on second and third in the second inning without scoring.

Trinity Christian scored two unearned runs in the third inning then added two more in the fourth to lead 4-0. Roosevelt finished with eight hits in the first game, but its only run came without the Lakers even managing a hit.

Trailing 5-0 heading into the seventh, Dvoracek led off the inning with a ground ball to third base that would have caused a tight play at first base. However, no one would ever find out if Dvoracek would have beaten out the throw because the toss was so wild, it went into right field and allowed the speedy freshman to circle the bases.

Roosevelt would make sure to take advantage of its runners in scoring position in the second game with five runs on 11 hits. Only two of the six runners left on base in the second game were in scoring position, and that came when the Lakers left the bases loaded in the second inning after already scoring twice with two-out hits.

Athena Pomele-Pen smashed a single up the middle in the second inning to start the rally then advanced to second on a passed ball. Bailee Reynolds scored Pomele-Pen with a single of her own up the middle then Isabella Walton brought home Reynolds with a single into left field. Brynn Dvoracek drove in Lozada, who tripled with one out in the third inning, then the Lakers put the game away in the fifth.

The Lakers opened the fifth inning with a triple from Emily Zuniga, and Lozada immediately followed with a double over the left fielder's head. Pomele-Pen lined a ball up the middle to plate Lozada to give the Lakers the 5-2 lead.

Samantha Norman pitched all seven innings of the second game to pick up her sixth win of the season. She scattered seven hits across the 30 batters she faced, striking out six Trolls as well. Her second strikeout of the game set the tone by stranding runners on second and third in the first inning. Trinity Christian left seven runners on base against Norman, who also threw 1 1/3 perfect innings in the first game for the Lakers.

Roosevelt returns to action Tuesday at Olivet Nazarene for a doubleheader that was rescheduled from earlier this week. First pitch for the twinbill is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Bourbonnais.