CHICAGO – Solid pitching came through for the University of Chicago softball team once again on Friday afternoon as the Maroons continued their winning ways with two victories over North Park University.

The Maroons (15-4 record) won their fifth-straight game during the current home stand. UChicago has outscored opponents 38-7 in that time. The Vikings fell to 6-23 on the year.

Game One – UChicago 8, North Park 0

The home team kept chipping away at the Vikings before breaking loose in the sixth inning to end the game early via the eight-run rule. With senior pitcher Jordan Poole leading the way, the Maroons recorded their fourth shutout of the season.

Poole (3-2 record) whiffed North Park hitters more often than she let them on base. She struck out six in six innings of work with only two hits, two walks and one hit-by-pitch allowed. It was her second shutout of the season.

As Poole locked down the visitors on her end, the UChicago offense steadily built up its lead by scoring once in each of the opening three innings. In the first frame, junior third base Maggie O'Hara singled and stole second base to get in scoring position. Senior first base Kathleen Kohm then singled to left center, allowing O'Hara to traverse home plate handily. A two-out RBI double from freshman outfielder Serena Moss came in the second inning. The score then moved to 3-0 when Kohm blasted a solo home run – her second round-tripper of the season – over the left field fence.

The bottom of the sixth featured the finishing blow. The home team opened up with three singles to fill the bases for freshman second base Colleen Bennett. The rookie banged a double to left center to score two. Sophomore catcher Sara Koniewicz kept the pressure on immediately after with a RBI single to center. Moss grounded out to first base to score a runner and make the score 7-0. The final tally came on a fielder's choice RBI by senior outfielder Devan Parkison.

On offense, UChicago wrangled 10 hits, led by Kohm's 3-for-3 performance with one homer and two RBI. Bennett was 1-for-1 with two RBI in her lone plate appearance. O'Hara went 2-for-3 hitting out of the two-spot.

Game Two – UChicago 4, North Park 1

The day's second game featured a milestone for Parkison. The senior leadoff hitter swiped two bases to give her a team-high nine on the season. She subsequently tied the school record for career stolen bases with 60.

Despite only six hits in game two, the Maroons made up for it with aggressiveness on the base paths. UChicago stole five bases, with one by O'Hara and two each by Parkison and senior shortstop Kristin Lopez.

UChicago didn't need to hit to score twice in the opening inning. Three-straight walks to start out did the trick, and O'Hara's sacrifice fly to center field plated the first run. Freshman outfielder Maeve Garvey grounded out to shortstop to expand the lead to 2-0, but North Park escaped without any further damage.

North Park threatened to get off the schnied by putting runners on the corners with one out in the first inning. However, sophomore catcher Olivia Haney gunned down the runner trying to steal second base, and freshman pitcher Jordyne Prussak whiffed the hitter for the third out.

With a runner on third and two outs, Parkison knocked a laser single to left field in the bottom of the second. UChicago kept its 3-0 lead until the top of the fourth when the Vikings finally broke through. Two singles and a fielder's choice set the table before North Park's RBI single through the left side of the infield made it 3-1. However, a strikeout and a fielder's choice ended the inning.

The Maroons provided themselves with one more insurance run in the bottom half of the fourth. Bennett doubled down the left field line and moved to third base on a wild pitch. Sophomore designated player Anna Woolery then golfed an arcing ball to deep center that came within a few feet of clearing the fence. While the center fielder ultimately hauled in the ball, Bennett scored easily on the sacrifice fly.

Molly Moran relieved Prussak in the pitching circle to start the fifth and she cruised from there. The sophomore struck out three with one hit and one walk to earn the three-inning save. Prussak picked up the win to improve to a perfect 7-0. The freshman went four innings that included one run, five hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

Lopez led the offense by going 2-for-2 with a walk.

NEXT GAMES:

• Saturday, April 16 – North Central College at UChicago (DH), Noon