NAPLES, Fla. - The Rockford University softball team ended its spring trip with a pair of dominating wins over Westfield State University, 13-3, and La Roche University, 9-1. The opener saw Rockford explode for nine runs over the first two innings, including a seven-run second. Rockford set a season-high with 13 runs in the game and once again did not trail. Game two was a pitchers' duel for the majority of the way. The Regents and Redhawks combined to score just two runs over the first four and a half innings, before Rockford exploded for eight runs in the fifth and sixth to secure the win. Rockford ends its spring trip with an impressive 6-2 overall record.
Rockford 13 Westfield State 3
- The Regents jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after a half inning of play. Neelah Vandeberg and Sophia Hulsey smacked back-to-back RBI singles to plate a pair of runs and put Rockford out in front.
- However, the Owls responded with two unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning. Westfield State tallied a pair of hits and capitalized on two Rockford errors to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the second inning.
- Fortunately, Rockford blew the game wide open with a seven-run second inning. The Regents sent 12 batters to the plate, tallying six hits and drawing two walks. Bella Lima, Sophia Hulsey, Makayla Howard and Olivia Lysaght all recorded an RBI single in the inning. Chayton Krueger and Judah Ortiz also drove in a run on a walk and a grounder to third respectively.
- Westfield State got a single unearned run back in the bottom of the second off three hits and a Regent miscue.
- From that third inning on, senior pitcher Bella Lima was essentially unhittable. Lima allowed just one base runner and retired eight straight batters over the final three innings.
- Rockford would add a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Judah Ortiz drove in a run on an RBI single, and Jocelyn Callahan drove in a run off a sacrifice fly into left. In the fifth, it was Chayton Krueger and Olivia Lysaght recording RBIs on a single and a walk en route to a 13-3 win.
Rockford 9 La Roche 1 (6 Innings)
- Rockford took an early lead by scoring a run in the first inning for the fourth straight game. Jocelyn Callahan, Bella Lima and Kariana Williams began the game with back-to-back-to-back singles, with Williams driving in Callahan to give the Regents a 1-0 advantage.
- La Roche was able to tie the game with a solo run of its own in the top of the third. The Redhawks strung together two singles and a stolen base to plate their run and knot the score at 1-1.
- Rockford University starting pitcher Kariana Williams was dialed in from that moment on. Williams surrendered just three hits and did not allow a run for the remainder of the game.
- The RU offense was finally able to break through and retake the lead following a three-run fifth inning. Kariana Williams and Neelah Vandeberg crushed back-to-back RBI doubles to put the Regents back out in front by a score of 3-1. One batter later, pinch hitter Michaela Froehlich roped an RBI single into left to make it a 4-1 game heading into the sixth.
- The Regents then ended the game in the bottom of the sixth by scoring five runs, all of which came with two outs. Neelah Vandeberg drove in the first run of the inning on an RBI single into center field. Linnea Nelson followed with a two-run single to make it a 7-1 game. One batter later, Alexis Schuldt laced an RBI single into right and advanced the winning run to third base. Freshman Nicole Paris then delivered a walk-off RBI single to give her team a 9-1 victory.
Westfield State
- Sophia Hulsey finished a perfect 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs.
- Neelah Vandeberg was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
- Bella Lima tossed her second complete game of the season. Lima threw 5 innings, allowed 0 earned runs and struck out a batter. She was also 2-for-4 at the plate, scoring 2 runs and driving in one.
- Makayla Howard went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Olivia Lysaght was 1-for-1 with a run scored, 2 RBIs and 3 walks.
La Roche
- Kariana Williams tossed her first complete game of the season and moved to 3-1 inside the circle. Williams allowed just 1 run over her 6 innings of work and struck out 3 batters. At the plate, she went 2-for-3 with a double, 2 RBIs and scored a run.
- Jocelyn Callahan continued her hot hitting with another multi-hit performance. Callahan finished 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base.
- Neelah Vandeberg also had a monster game at the plate Vandeberg was 3-for-4 with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored.
- Alexis Schuldt went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
