RIVER FOREST, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team (12-6, 2-0 NACC) began NACC play on Saturday with a pair of impressive road wins over Concordia University Chicago (3-14-1, 0-2 NACC). The Regents never trailed in either game, winning by final scores of 7-3 and 12-3. Rockford pounded out 22 hits, including 8 extra base hits and 2 home runs on Saturday. This was the first win for Rockford against Concordia Chicago since 2010 and the first sweep of the Cougars since 2007.
Game 1
- Rockford wasted little time jumping on the Cougars in the top of the first inning.
- Gretchen Schrubbe singled and Mikayla Seay doubled, to give the Regents runners on second and third with one out.
- A couple of batters later, Michaela Spanbauer came through with a clutch two-out, two-run double and gave Rockford an early 2-0 lead.
- Rockford then took advantage of two Cougar errors in the top of the second, to tack on an unearned run and extend its lead to 3-0.
- Concordia Chicago followed suite with an unearned run of its own in the bottom of third and cut the RU lead down to 3-1.
- The Regents would then essentially put the game away with a four-run fifth inning.
- Rockford quickly loaded the bases with no outs after back-to-back singles from Jocelyn Callahan and Emily Cox and a hit batsman.
- Mikayla Seay drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, and Rockford added one more off a Cougar error.
- The Regents' final two runs of the inning came off a two-run single from Michaela Spanbauer.
- CUC was able to add a pair of runs in the sixth, but it was not enough, as Rockford cruised to an easy 7-3 victory.
Game 2
- The Regents again got on the board first with a single run in the top of the first inning.
- Annaka Bartz led off the game with double and then advanced to third on an Emily Cox single.
- One batter later, Mikayla Seay drove in Bartz for her first RBI of the day.
- However, the Cougars were able to scratch across a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning and tie the game at 1-1.
- Following a scoreless second, Rockford blew the game wide open with a four-run third.
- Emily Cox drove in the first run with an RBI single.
- The Regents then got RBI groundouts from Mikayla Seay and Gretchen Schrubbe to make it a 4-1 Rockford lead.
- Rockford took advantage of a Cougar error later in the inning to extend its lead to 5-1.
- The Regents would then put the game away with four more runs in the top of the sixth.
- Emily Down and Jocelyn Callahan began the inning with back-to-back singles.
- One batter later, Annaka Bartz belted her first home run of the season and made it an 8-1 game.
- Emily Cox followed with a home run of her own, her third of the season, to give the Regents back-to-back home runs and a 9-1 lead.
- After CUC plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, Rockford responded with three runs in the top of the seventh.
- Jocelyn Callahan drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI triple.
- One batter later, Annaka Bartz double to right center, scoring Callahan and making it an 11-3 game.
- Rylee Klema drove in the final run of the day with an RBI single back up the middle to secure the 12-3 win.
Game 1
- Michaela Spanbauer went 3-for-4 with a double and 4 runs driven in.
- Mikayla Seay was 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
- Rylee Klema tossed her team-leading seventh complete game of the season and improved her record to 5-3. Klema went 7 innings, allowing just 2 earned runs, while striking out 4 and walking none.
Game 2
- Annaka Bartz finished 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, a home run, 4 runs scored and 4 runs driven in.
- Emily Cox was 3-for-5 with a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Jocelyn Callahan went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a 3 runs scored.
- Breanna Collins was 2-for-3.
- Mikayla Seay picked up the win and improved her record to 5-2 this year. Seay went 5 innings and allowed just 3 runs.
- Rylee Klema threw the final 2 innings and retired all 6 batters she faced.
The RU softball team returns home on Monday for two more games against Concordia University Chicago. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 5 PM at Sportscore Two.
