MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Rockford University softball team concluded its season on the road Saturday afternoon with a sweep of the Alverno College Inferno. The Regents had one of their best offensive days of the season, scoring a combined 17 runs on 23 hits. Rockford scored in five of the seven innings in game one and never trailed en route to a 9-4 win. The Regents scored another eight runs in the nightcap, including a three-run home run off the bat of
Enedy Perez, but the story of game two was the outstanding pitching of
Kariana Williams. Williams had the Inferno baffled all game long, tossing her first career complete game shutout en route to an 8-0 Regent victory.
Game 1
- Rockford broke the scoreless tie in the top of the first inning. The Regents used a trio of singles from Olivia Lysaght, Kariana Williams and Enedy Perez to take an early 1-0 lead.
- Alverno was however able to tie the game in the bottom of the second. The Inferno had two hits in the frame and took advantage of an error to score an unearned run and make it a 1-1 game.
- Rockford responded by breaking the game wide open with four runs in the top of the third. After the Regents loaded the bases with just one out, Kara McMullin laced a two-run single through the left side of the infield to put her team back in front 3-1. One batter later, Makayla Howard roped a two-run single of her own into the outfield and made it a 5-1 RU advantage.
- However, Alverno got two of the four runs back in the bottom of the fourth off an Andrea Ramirez two-run home run.
- Rockford then struck for a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to extend its lead to 8-3. Enedy Perez led off the fifth with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored on a Jocelyn Callahan sacrifice fly. In the sixth, the Regents scored their first run on a wild pitch and added another run on a Kariana Williams sacrifice fly.
- Alverno was able to get a single run in the bottom of the sixth, but fortunately, Rockford got that run right back on a Lauren Zielinski RBI single in the top of the seventh.
- Rockford University starting pitcher Mariah Martinez finished off the game by retiring the Interno in order in the bottom of the seventh, including striking out the final two batters to seal the 9-4 win.
Game 2
- RU starting pitcher Kariana Williams was brilliant inside the circle throughout game two. Williams surrendered just three hits the entire game, retired seven straight batters at one point and struck out the side in the sixth.
- The Regent offense broke the scoreless tie with a single run in the top of the second. Jocelyn Callahan walked, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored on an error by the catcher to give the Regents a 1-0 lead.
- Rockford then proceeded to break the game open with a trio of runs in the fourth. Michaela Froehlich drove in the first run on an RBI single and Olivia Lysaght knocked in the other two runs on a triple to center.
- The Regents added another run in the fifth off an Inferno error and three more runs in the seventh. Emily Down and Kariana Williams began the seventh with back-to-back singles. Enedy Perez then stepped up to the plate and crushed a 3-run home run in her final collegiate at bat.
- Kariana Williams finished things off by retiring three of the four hitters she faced in the bottom of the seventh for the 8-0 win.
Game 1
- Olivia Lysaght finished 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored.
- Alexis Schuldt was 2-for-3 with a double, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
- Enedy Perez went 3-for-4 with a double and 2 runs scored.
- Kara McMullin was 1-for-1 with 2 RBIs and a run scored.
- Mariah Martinez pitched her 11th complete game of the season. She allowed just 3 earned runs, struck out a season-high 7 batters and walked none.
Game 2
- Kariana Williams went the distance for the Regents inside the circle in game two. Williams threw all 7 innings, allowed just 3 hits, 0 runs and struck out a career-high 8 batters.
- Olivia Lysaght finished 2-for-4 with a triple, a double and 2 RBIs.
- Enedy Perez went 1-for-3 with a home run, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Kariana Williams was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 runs scored.
- Judah Ortiz finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
