Box Score

CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- North Central College (Ill.) improved to 10-0 on Wednesday (Mar. 20) behind a 5-1 triumph over the University of New England at the Cape Coral Sports Complex in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Softball Classic.

The Nor'easters dip back to 4-4, bringing an end to their three-game win streak.

After two scoreless innings, back-to-back home runs by Vlasta Mangia and Amanda Walker of the Cardinals in the bottom of the 3rd gave North Central a lead it would not relinquish.

UNE trimmed the deficit in half (2-1) during the top half of the 5th, as sophomore Gabrielle LaRoche had the second of her three hits in the game, and pinch runner Adrienne Chase scored the run.

Kiersten Tinkoff had an RBI-double to plate Walker in the bottom of the inning though, restoring the two-run cushion. The Cardinals added a pair in the 6th to provide the final tally.

Mangia struck out five in the circle to move to 5-0, while allowing just those three hits to LaRoche and zero walks.

For UNE, first-year Chelsea Damon was tagged with the loss (1-2), going four innings and giving up five hits. Classmate Lauren Doneski went the rest of the way.

Big Blue completes its week in Florida on Thursday with games against Smith College (9 a.m.) and Hamilton College (11 a.m.).


(updated 3/21/13 1:00 p.m.)