CHICAGO, Ill. – The University of Chicago softball team used a dramatic walk-off home run in game one to beat North Central College 2-1. But NCC rallied back in game two with a 7-3 win to split Saturday's doubleheader.

The Maroons ran their record to 16-2. The No. 18-ranked Cardinals (22-4) have won 19 of their last 21 games.

Game One – UChicago 2, NCC 1 (8 innings)

The opening game of the day turned into a pitching duel between UChicago sophomore Jordan Poole and North Central senior Vlasta Mangia. Poole cruised through the first six innings and went into the top of the seventh inning with a 1-0 lead. The Maroons had scored in the fifth inning thanks to freshman infielder Anna Woolery's RBI single to shortstop.

However, the Cardinals knotted the score up when the leadoff batter in the seventh smoked a solo home run to left center. Poole then had two runners on base with one out, but the sophomore came through with two strikeouts to end the threat.

With two outs in the eighth inning, Poole provided the heroics to give herself the win when she lined a home run to left field that ended the game. The Maroons finished with eight hits, as Poole was 3-for-4 at the plate and senior catcher Zoe Oliver-Grey went 2-for-3.

Poole improved to 10-0 in the pitching circle. She struck out 10 batters in eight innings, allowing one run, seven hits and two walks.

Game Two – NCC 7, UChicago 3

UChicago carried over its momentum into game two, striking first with two runs in the opening inning. A RBI double by senior third baseman Maddie McManus and a fielding error put the home team ahead 2-0. The Maroons made it 3-0 in the third inning thanks to an unearned run that followed two errors.

However, North Central got on a roll against UChicago's relief pitchers. The Cardinals scored two runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Two home runs and two RBI doubles did the bulk of the damage, which helped carry the visitors to the split.

The Maroons totaled eight hits and two errors. The trio of junior outfielder Raechel Cloud, senior outfielder Kaitlyn Carpenter and McManus all went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Poole threw the first three innings of the game and struck out two while surrendering three hits. Junior pitcher Emily Ashbridge tossed one inning with four hits, three runs and one strikeout. Junior Tabbetha Bohac (6-2) got the loss in her 2-1/3 innings, allowing four hits, four runs and four walks to go with two strikeouts. Freshman Alexa Hanelin gave up one hit and one walk in 2/3 of an inning.

NEXT GAMES:

• Sunday, Apr. 13 – University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at UChicago (DH), 11:30 AM