LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team (6-2) extended its winning streak to five games on Friday with a pair of victories over Maranatha Baptist University (2-4). The Regents opened with a convincing 13-0 victory in five innings and then won the nightcap 15-7 in five innings. This marks the first time the Regents have won five straight games since Rockford joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference for the 2007 season.
Game 1: Rockford 13 Maranatha 0
- Rockford scored seven runs off four walks and three hits in the first inning to seize control of the game.
- Elaine Zimmerman and McCathran Andrew each singled in a run, while Jocelyn Callahan drove in the final two runs on a single into the outfield.
- The Regents would tack on five more runs in the second to make it a 12-0 game.
- Emily Cox led off the inning with her second home run of the season.
- After a pair of walks and a single, McCathran Andrew cleared the bases with a three-run triple to make it an 11-0 Regent lead.
- Rockford added one more run off a Sabercat error to take a 12-0 lead.
- Twelve runs was more than enough support for RU starting pitcher Mariah Martinez. Martinez did not allow more than one base runner in any inning and earned her first win as a Regent.
- The Regents would score one more run in the fourth, courtesy of a Kelsey Powell RBI double en route to a 13-0 win.
Game 2: Rockford 15 Maranatha 7
- Rockford again used a big first inning to take control of the game. The Regents scored eight runs off seven hits to grab a quick 8-0 lead.
- Gretchen Schrubbe got things started with an RBI triple to drive in Jocelyn Callahan, who led off the inning with a single.
- Emily Down and Kelsey Powell each ripped an RBI single into the outfield as Rockford extended its lead to 4-0.
- After a Morgan Hopping sacrifice fly, Jocelyn Callahan crushed her first collegiate home run to make it 8-0.
- The Sabercats started to chip away at the Regent lead in the top off the third with a pair of runs off two hits.
- However, Rockford answered right back with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame.
- The Regents scored the first two runs of the inning off a Maranatha error.
- One batter later, McCathran Andrew made it an 11-2 RU lead with an RBI single.
- However, Maranatha would not go down without a fight. The Sabercats used a five-run top of the fourth to get back within four at 11-7. Maranatha had just two hits in the inning but took advantage of four walks in order to score the five runs.
- Rockford again responded with a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- Mikayla Seay doubled in the first run of the inning, Michaela Spanbauer drove in the second on an RBI groundout and Olivia Swanson knocked in the final run off an RBI single.
- The Regents would then win the game with a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Kelsey Powell and Morgan Hopping got things started with back-to-back singles. Jocelyn Callahan then ended the game with walk-off RBI double, to give Rockford a 15-7 victory.
Game 1:
- Elaine Zimmerman finished a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.
- McCathran Andrew went 2-for-3 with a triple, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Jocelyn Callahan was also 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Mariah Martinez went the distance inside the circle tossing her first complete game shutout as a Regent. Martinez allowed no runs off four hits and struck out five over her five innings of work.
Game 2:
- Jocelyn Callahan was a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
- Gretchen Schrubbe was a perfect 2-for-2 and tied the RU single-game record with 2 triples.
- McCathran Andrew finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Kelsey Powell went 2-for-4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.
- Lexi Sullivan picked up her first win in the circle as a Regent.
The RU softball team returns to the diamond on Sunday, March 28 against Eureka College. First pitch is set for noon at Sportscore Two.
