Softball Battles Saint Francis in CCAC Conference Doubleheader Split

JOLIET, Ill. – The Roosevelt University softball team battled one of the top teams in the CCAC Conference in the University of Saint Francis, splitting the doubleheader with a 9-7 game one win and a 7-5 game two loss on the road on Thursday, April 21.  The Lakers are now 7-8 in the CCAC and 14-15 overall this season.

The Lakers erupted for six runs in the first inning of game one with Athena Pomele-Pen hitting a two-run homer to score Jessica Schneider, who led off the game with a base hit.  Destini Nolan then walked and Brynn Dvoracek doubled to give RU runners at second and third with Anaisa Lozada reaching on a dropped fly ball, scoring Nolan for a 3-0 lead.  Two batters later, Kassie Kawka hit a three-run homer to left center for the Lakers 6-0 advantage.

Roosevelt added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning with Dvoracek singling to right field with the bases loaded, bringing in Sabrina Treccani and Schneider.  Saint Francis answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning on four hits, including a solo homerun, to cut the margin to 8-2.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Fighting Saints put together a six-run inning on three hits and two RU errors to make it an 8-7 game heading into the final inning.  However, Dvoracek came through for the Lakers once again with a solo homerun in the top of the seventh inning to push the RU lead to 9-7. Saint Francis threatened in the bottom half with runners at second and third with two outs, but Hailey Getz got the next hitter to line out to end the game.

Saint Francis took an early lead in the second game of the day with a run in the bottom of the first inning on two hits.  The Lakers evened the game at 1-1 with a run in the third when Pomele-Pen singled to center field to score Emliy Zuniga, but the home team regained the lead with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning on a hit and an error.

The Lakers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth when Dvoracek and Nolan both hit solo homeruns, but the Fighting Saints tied the game on a solo homer in the same inning.  USF then scored two more runs with the help of an RU error to lead 5-3, but the Lakers answered with two runs of their own to tie things up at 5-5 with Lozada singling home Schneider and Kawka singling down the right field line to bring in Lozada.

Unfortunately, the Lakers went down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings, while the Fighting Saints hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off 7-5 win.

GAME ONE DETAILS

W: Hailey Getz (4-3)        L: Bridget McDermott (13-2)

Records: Roosevelt 14-14, 7-7 (CCAC) | Saint Francis 21-10, 11-4 (CCAC)

Location: Harlow Lockwood Field | Joliet, Ill.

KEY STATS

• Brynn Dvoracek went 4-for-4 with a double, homerun, three RBI, & two runs scored
• Kassie Kawka was 1-for-3 with a homerun & three runs batted in
• Athena Pomele-Pen went 1-for-4 with a homerun & two RBI
• Anaisa Lozada was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, & a run scored
• Hailey Getz picked up the win to raise her record to 4-3, throwing 3 2/3 innings in relief & allowing five unearned runs on four hits with three strikeouts & three walks

GAME TWO DETAILS

W: Madisen Tucker (3-3)               L: Samantha Norman (0-4)

Records: Roosevelt 14-15, 7-8 (CCAC) | Saint Francis 22-10, 12-4 (CCAC)

Location: Harlow Lockwood Field | Joliet, Ill.

KEY STATS

• Brynn Dvoracek went 2-for-2 with her second homer of the day & a double with an RBI
• Anaisa Lozada was 2-for-4 with an RBI & a run scored
• Destini Nolan went 1-for-3 with a homerun
• Kassie Kawka was 1-for-2 with an RBI
• Athena Pomele-Pen went 1-for-4 with an RBI
• Samantha Norman suffered the loss, pitching 2 2/3 innings in relief & allowing two runs on a hit & a walk
• Kate Sisson started the game in the circle, going 3 2/3 innings & allowing two earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts

NEWS & NOTES

• Jessica Schneider has a hit in each of her last 15 games
• The Lakers are now 7-13 all-time versus the Fighting Saints
• RU now sits in seventh place of the CCAC, while USF is in second place
• Click here to view the current CCAC Conference standings

NEXT UP

The Lakers have a quick turnaround as they travel to the north suburbs to take on Trinity International University in a CCAC Conference doubleheader on Friday, April 22.  First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12pm at Heritage Park in Wheeling, Ind.