LISLE, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team hit the road again on Monday as the Regents squared off against the Benedictine University Eagles. Rockford knew it would be a tall task to knock off the Eagles as Benedictine has been one of the premiere teams in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference since its inception ten years ago. It was a tough day for the Regents as they struggled to get anything going and never led in either game falling 10-2 and 9-1.
In the opener Benedictine jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead after four innings of play. Rockford would however continue to fight and battle scoring two runs in the fifth to cut into the Eagle lead and extend the game. Lisa Blakeley-Snyder (Winnebago, Ill.) and Makayla Long (Wilmington, Ill.) jumpstarted the Regents' rally with a single and a walk to put runners on first and second with just one out. Sophomore Alex Storey (Dexter, Mich.) then drove in Rockford's first run of the day with an RBI double into deep left center field scoring Blakeley-Snyder and moving Long to third base. One batter later, senior Brittany Bura (Chicago, Ill.) delivered a sacrifice fly into center as Rockford cut the Eagle lead down to 9-2. However, Benedictine answered back with a run of its own in the bottom of sixth giving them a 10-2 lead and ending the game.
The second game of the day initially went better for the Regents as they were able to keep it close for a few innings. Benedictine would strike first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second before Rockford answered with a run of its own in the top of the third. Lynn Blakeley-Snyder (Winnebago, Ill.) and Makayla Long began the inning with back-to-back hits giving the Regents runners on first and second with no one out. Two batters later, Alex Storey came through with a clutch two-out RBI single as the Regents pulled to within a single run after two and a half innings of play. Unfortunately Rockford was unable to get any closer as Benedictine scored three runs in the bottom of the third and four runs in the bottom of the fourth en route to a 9-1 win.
The RU softball team returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 13 at home against Edgewood College. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3:00 PM at the Smith Athletic Field.
