CHICAGO – The University of Chicago softball team extended its winning streak to 10 in-a-row with two home wins against Wisconsin Lutheran College on Thursday afternoon.

The Maroons improved to 14-11 while the Warriors fell to 8-19. The last time UChicago achieved a double-digit win streak was in 2014 with an 11-0 start to the season.  

Game One – UChicago 8, Wisconsin Lutheran 0   (5 innings)

The home team jumped all over Wisconsin Lutheran with a six-run first inning. A walk, a bunt single and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with no outs. Senior Savannah Pinedo then delivered a two-run single to right center. UChicago loaded the bases once again and forced in a run when first-year Katelyn Ohlde drew a walk. Senior Jules Waller singled through the left side to make it 4-0, and first-year Clare Fortier also posted an RBI walk. Junior Julia Folkl finished off the onslaught with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field.

The game's final two runs arrived in the bottom of the third. Folkl knocked an RBI single to center and senior Katie O'Donnell produced an RBI groundout to push the lead to 8-0. UChicago swiped three bases in the inning. The contest ended via run rule after five innings.

Three Maroon pitchers combined for the shutout effort while limiting the Warriors to only two hits. Sophomore Delaney Romanchick (5-4 record) got the start and the win with three innings of work. Sophomore Delaney Choi and senior Bethany Regnerus tossed one inning each.

UChicago collected nine hits overall. Senior Maddy Mudrick and sophomore Alina Yazek both batted 2-for-2. Folkl went 1-for-1 with two RBI and one walk.

Game Two – UChicago 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 1

The first-inning magic continued in game two. UChicago put the first two runners on with a walk and a bunt single in a repeat of the opening of game one. O'Donnell then slapped an RBI single through the left side. Pinedo dropped down a surprise squeeze bunt that plated the runner from third to make it 2-0.

Wisconsin Lutheran eventually broke onto the scoreboard with an inside-the-park homer into the right field corner to start the fourth inning. But the Maroons added an insurance tally in the bottom of the fifth with sophomore Ava Sinai's RBI single up the middle.

That was all the support that starting pitcher Paige Heffke needed. The rookie continued her string of impressive outings with her 10th complete game of the season. She struck out nine batters versus three hits and two walks allowed. Heffke has now allowed one earned run or fewer in seven-consecutive appearances.

The Maroons concluded with six hits and one error. O'Donnell and Waller both went 2-for-3 at the plate.

NEXT GAMES:

• Saturday, April 23 @ 1:00 PM – University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at UChicago (DH)