NAPLES, Fla. -- The Rockford University softball team closed out the Gene Cusic Classic with games against Elms College and Bethany College. The Regents were all over the Blazers in game one, winning 16-0. Their comeback attempt was stifled against Bethany, falling 5-3.

The Regents will return to action on Thursday, March 19, for their home opening doubleheader at 2 & 4 p.m. CDT.

Game One: Rockford 16, Elms 0

The bats were live against the Blazers. Brooklyn Lee, Neelah Vandeberg, Olivia Lysaght, and Kayla Knaak each had multi-hit outings. Liz Mois was 1-for-4 with a three-run homer. Kara McMullin and Kieran Madigan each had multiple RBI as pinch hitters.

Lorelei Monk earned the win in the circle, dominating the Elms' lineup in a one-hit, three-strikeout performance over the course of the five inning ballgame.

The Regents were rolling from the jump. Tayiah Scanlan led off with a double down the left field line, then Kendall Knoll and Vandeberg each drove in runs to put RU up 2-0 after the first.

They waited until the third to add to the lead. Vandeberg lined a single into left field, bringing Lee home for Rockford's third run.

Monk held the Blazers hitless for the first three innings. A single to lead off the fourth was the only blemish on her record.

The Regents put together 13 runs over the final two innings. Lee hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Knaak home and then Mois homered into dead center to put Rockford up 7-0 after four.

The floodgates opened in the fifth inning. Rockford scored nine runs off of six hits. Knaak drove in the first run off of a single to center, bringing Alexis Schuldt home. RU brought in a couple more runs off of errors and wild pitches, then McMullin, Lysaght, and Schuldt singled three times in a row to score two more.

Madigan's pinch-hit triple to clear the bases was the icing on the cake in the 16-0 victory.

Game Two: Bethany 5, Rockford 3

Liz Mois closed out her productive trip at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Kieran Madigan started in centerfield, and was also 2-for-3 with a double.

Kendall Knoll started at pitcher, striking out four in three innings while giving up four earned runs off of seven hits in the circle. Claire Shanahan relieved her, holding the Bison scoreless in her four innings of action.

Bethany scored two runs in the top of the first, singling three times in the inning. The Regents responded with a run of their own to make it 2-1. Mois got in a rundown between first and second, allowing Mia Cosentino to score from third.

The Bison added onto their lead in both the second and third innings. After three they held a 5-1 lead.

Neither team was able to cross the plate over the next three and a half innings. The Regents went into the bottom of the seventh down four.

Brooklyn Lee started the inning off with a single up the middle. Mois followed her up with a double off the wall in right-center. Lee would score on a wild pitch. Sophia Hulsey was then able to bring Mois in with an infield single and make the game 5-3.

The comeback hopes were dashed after a double play, and a Knoll line drive went right to the center fielder to close out the game.
  Read Full Article