Illinois
Vikings Secure Playoff Spot with Senior Day Split vs. Illinois Wesleyan – North Park University Athletics
CHICAGO, Ailing. — North Park Softball honored the careers of seniors Katie Creager, Brigid Early, Emily Reczek, and Alyssa Malicki earlier than in the present day’s double-header with the Illinois Wesleyan Titans. To have fun, the crew gifted their senior class with one final run as Vikings by punching their ticket to the CCIW Match with a 6-3 win in Recreation 1. Though NPU went on to lose Recreation 2 to shut their common season, the 2023 Vikings will likely be remembered as this system’s most profitable crew thus far, setting a file with 9 convention wins and incomes the possibility to additional historical past with a attainable CCIW playoff victory.
Recreation 1
The Vikings jumped out to an early 3-0 lead by means of the primary two innings of Recreation 1, sparked by a 1st inning double off the bat of Alyssa Malicki which scored Eden Baker and Emily Reczek. Brigid Early then gave North Park some added insurance coverage within the 2nd after stealing residence on a wild pitch.
NPU’s bats went quiet within the 3rd, however they bounced again within the subsequent inning to double their lead as much as a rating of 6-0. Brigid Early acquired on base with a stroll and HBP, respectively, organising Eden Baker with runners on first and second. She got here by means of with a bases-clearing triple, later scoring on a single by Kathryn Keehn.
These can be the final runs the Vikings scored in Recreation 1. The Titans rallied within the 5th to chop the NPU lead in half at 6-3, however SP Maya Lafnear shut them down within the remaining two innings to solidify the Vikings’ playoff spot and earn herself a whole sport. Her remaining line because the profitable pitcher learn 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, and 1 Okay.
Seniors Emily Reczek and Alyssa Malicki each had multi-hit efforts, combining for 4 of the crew’s six complete hits. Malicki and Eden Baker led the crew with 2 RBI every, and the pair additionally marked the one XBH in Recreation 1 for both crew.
Recreation 2
With the wind and rain choosing up for the second sport, SP Alyssa Malicki had a tricky time on the mound because the Titans received by a rating of 4-10. The Vikings did take the primary lead of the sport with a 1stinning base hit by Emily Reczek to attain Kayla Lorenz, however that was the one level at which NPU led in Recreation 2.
Exterior of Reczek—who had one other multi-hit effort to make her 4-8 on the day—Eden Baker, Malicki, and Katie Patton drove in North Park’s different three runs in Recreation 2. Patton’s got here by means of a solo HR to mark the catcher’s second homer of her profession. Past that, a double by Kayla Lorenz which finally earned the crew their first run was NPU’s solely different XBH within the loss.
What’s Subsequent?
With the Vikings’ 2023 common season now full with a file of 17-20-1 (9-7 CCIW), the crew has Might 11th to look ahead to when Spherical 1 of the CCIW Match will get underway. Seeding is but to be decided, so NPU will not know their matchup till that date approaches.