March 29, 2007

Maroons Drop Two to Wheaton

CHICAGO -- Wheaton (Ill.) College rallied from a four-run deficit in the opener and from two runs down in the nightcap as it swept both halves of a doubleheader from the University of Chicago softball team Thursday at Stagg Field.

Chicago led 4-0 in game one before the Thunder rallied for a 7-6 victory.

Freshman pitcher Lauren White's (Oakland, Calf./ Bentley School) two-run single capped a four-run outburst in the bottom of the second inning. Junior center fielder Nancy Bugajski (Chicago, Ill./ Marian Catholic) and sophomore second baseman Jen Jacobson (Schaumburg, Ill./ Conant) each delivered RBI singles in the inning.

A two-out, run-scoring single off the bat of Thunder third baseman Lauren Hein tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth.

The score remained tied until the top of the seventh when Wheaton center fielder Sarah Callicuttt drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double to right center field.

Beth Miller allowed just two hits and fanned seven in four innings of relief to notch the victory. White (2-2), who notched a complete game, took the loss.

In game two, Jacobson and White knocked in runs as part of a four-run tally in the opening inning, which gave the Maroons a 4-2 edge.

Wheaton first baseman Trinity Pierce's two-run home run in the third inning -- her second of the day -- tied the game at 4-4, but the Maroons regained the lead, 5-4, on junior left fielder Dominique Marshall's (Westerville, Ohio/ Columbus Girls) sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Thunder (9-6) took advantage of a squeeze bunt and a steal of home as they scored three runs on just two hits in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good, 7-5, en route to a 7-6 win.

Chicago (10-4) scored its final run on senior shortstop Jessica Mayhew's (Plymouth, N.H./ Plymouth) solo blast over the left field wall -- her first career home run.

Miller (6-3) picked up the victory with 3.2 innings of relief. Senior Petra Wade (Batavia, Ill./ Batavia) went the distance for the Maroons in a losing effort. She fell to 6-2 on the year.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2