MADISON, Wis. - The Rockford University softball team traveled north on Wednesday afternoon hoping to pick up its first NACC win of the season when it faced the Edgewood College Eagles. Rockford got off to a great start in the opener putting up a trio of runs in the first three innings; however, it was not enough as Edgewood was able to battle back and pick up a 5-4 win. Game two was a difficult one for Rockford as it fell by a 9-1 final.

Rockford led at two different points early on in game one as the top of the Rockford order did an excellent job manufacturing runs. Freshman Alexandra Storey (Dexter, Mich.) began the game with an infield single to the shortstop. After a bunt moved Storey to second base, senior Maranda Walker (Rockford, Ill.) ripped a 2-out RBI single back up the middle giving the Regents an early 1-0 lead. However the lead was short lived as Edgewood tied the game in the bottom of the second before Rockford was able to retake the lead in the top of the third inning. It was once again Alexandra Storey who got the inning started on the right foot with her second infield single of the game. Following an Edgewood error and a sacrifice bunt by Brittany Bura (Chicago, Ill.), the Regents were in business with runners on second and third with just one out. One batter later, Maranada Walker once again came through in the clutch as she crushed a 2-run double into center field putting Rockford back in front 3-1. 

However, Edgewood answered back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of its own to tie the game. The Eagles then added solo runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead for the first time. 

Rockford had one final opportunity in the top of the seventh to tie or take the lead as the Regents had the top of their order due up. The inning could not have gotten off to a better start as Lynn Blakeley-Snyder (Winnebago, Ill.) smacked a home run over the left field fence to make it just a one-run game. However, it was not meant to be as the Eagles retired the next three batters in order en route to the 5-4 win.

Offensively it was Alexandra Storey and Maranda Walker who tallied four of the Regents' five hits. Storey finished the game 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored while Walker went 2-for-3 with a double and 3 runs batted in. 

Following the difficult loss in game one, Rockford struggled to get anything going in game two. The Eagles jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead after just 2 innings of play. The score remained 7-0 until the top of the fourth when Rockford scored its only run game. Brittany Bura led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a groundout and then reached third on a wild pitch. Freshman Sarah Rizzo (Monee, Ill.) then drove in Bura with an RBI groundout making it a 7-1 ball game. Unfortunately, the Regents would not get any closer as the Eagles answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to secure the 9-1 victory. 

The softball team returns to the diamond on Saturday, April 11 at Dominican University. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for noon.