CHICAGO, Ill. – The University of Chicago softball team kept Hope College's offense in check and scored just enough runs to win 4-1 and 1-0 on Thursday.

The Maroons, who are ranked No. 21 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, improved to 19-3. The Flying Dutch dropped to 13-14 on the year.

Game One – UChicago 4, Hope 1

It didn't take long for UChicago to take advantage of its opportunities. The Maroons pulled off a double steal of second base and home plate twice in the first inning to go ahead 2-0. Freshman infielder Anna Woolery and senior outfielder Kaitlyn Carpenter both used their quickness to score on the steals.

In the second inning, Carpenter collected a RBI single when she looped a pop fly just over the shortstop's head. Senior third baseman Maddie McManus lined a RBI single to the outfield immediately afterwards to put the home team up 4-0.

Hope threatened to erase that advantage in the fifth inning. The Flying Dutch filled the bases with three runners and then drew a walk to force one run in. However, junior starting pitcher Tabbetha Bohac came back with a big strikeout to end the inning and limit the damage.

The 4-1 score held up for the rest of the game and gave Bohac (7-3) the victory in the pitching circle. The junior held Hope to three hits and one run along with five walks and three strikeouts in her five innings. Junior Emily Ashbridge pitched a clean sixth inning, and sophomore Jordan Poole worked the seventh inning and struck out one batter to pick up her second save of the season.

UChicago finished the game with nine hits, as Woolery and Carpenter were both 2-for-3 at the plate.

Game Two – UChicago 1, Hope 0

Neither offense could get momentum going in the game two. Poole started for the Maroons and her Hope counterpart Kate Laverty kept the bats silent and prevented scoring chances.

UChicago's best chance to score came in the second inning with one out and two on. A single through the right side led to a play at the plate, and Hope's catcher applied the tag in time to cut down the runner. In the third inning, the Flying Dutch loaded the bases with two outs before a short groundout to third base kept them off the scoreboard.

With extra innings looming as a possibility, the Maroons started off the bottom of the sixth with a double by Carpenter. She moved to third base on the ensuing fly out to set up the go-ahead run. Poole came to the plate and hit a grounder to third base. Hope's third baseman looked Carpenter back and fired to first base to get the second out. But Carpenter immediately pounced on the opportunity, sprinting towards home plate the moment the throw was released. She slid in just around the catcher's tag to get the decisive run.

Hope put a runner on second base in the top of the seventh inning, and the Flying Dutch pinch hitter lofted a shallow fly ball to right field that could have tied the game. Sophomore Devan Parkison came sprinting in and reached down to make the full-speed grab to end the game.

Poole kept her perfect season intact, running her record to 12-0. The sophomore picked up her third shutout of the year with four hits, one walk and three strikeouts.

The Maroons compiled six hits in the game which came from six different players.

NEXT GAMES:

• Saturday, Apr. 19 – UChicago at Illinois Wesleyan University (DH), 1 PM