Box Score
Runs were as plentiful as raindrops in North Central's 12-10 win over UW-Eau Claire Thursday in the third game of the Whitewater Regional. The teams combined for two runs, 1-1, and four hits through the first four innings. What happened next had the fans experiencing a softball roller coaster. North Central exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a three run homerun from freshman leftfielder Amanda Walker. The Cardinals tacked on another run, combining a hit batter and three walks to score without putting a bat on the ball, for a 7-1 lead. But the wheels, or more accurately the gloves, feel off in the bottom half of inning as Eau Claire scored seven runs on just four hits, with the help of four North Central errors. Senior first baseman Sarah Fern brought in two with a double, and sophomore rightfielder Amanda Fischer scored one with a single, with the others touching home without the benefit of a base hit as the Blugolds took an 8-7 lead after six. But that lasted as long as the intermission between innings, as North Central came back with five runs in the top of the seventh, with the eighth and ninth batters in the lineup contributing key blows. Sophomore catcher Jordyn Beck brought in two with a single up the middle, and freshman centerfielder Olivia Goethals' double down the left field line scored two more as the Cardinals took a 12-8 lead. Given the tenor of the game, it was certain that lead wasn't safe, and Blugold shortstop Taylor Pierce's home run to center brought the final score to 12-10.
North Central pitcher Vlasta Mangia, 23-6, went the distance. She allowed five earned runs on nine hits, with no walks and one strikeout. Mangia also had two hits for the Cardinals, along with Walker, Beck and sophomore first baseman Kiersten Tinkoff. Eau Claire used three pitchers, with Laura Raflik, 7-2, who came on in the seventh, taking the loss. Freshman centerfielder Abby Hansen, sophomore leftfielder Nikki Brooks, and Fischer had two hits apiece for UW-EC.
North Central, 33-10, will play the winner of Illinois Wesleyan versus Benedictine at 5:00 Friday. UW-Eau Claire, 26-8, will play the loser of the IWU-Benedictine contest at 1:00 Friday.
