No. 17 Softball Destroys Dominican

ROSEMOUNT, Ill. – The 17^th-ranked Falcons continued to soar on Friday with a 7-1, 11-0 sweep at Dominican on Friday afternoon. The Falcons reached the 20-win plateau on a balmy Friday in the Land of Lincoln at 20-3. The Blue and White remain atop the Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference at 9-0.

The Stars struck first in the second inning of game one.

The Falcons flipped the script in the fifth inning.

Junior Madi Wheat (Coweta, Okla.) tied the game in the fifth on a single through the left side of the infield that scored senior Ashley Zappa (Zion, Ill.).

Senior Claudia Utz (Lockport, Ill.) then smacked a single to left field that plated senior Sydney Erdmann (Geneva, Ill.) and Madi Wheat.

In the sixth inning, senior Gabbi Gaziano (Beloit, Wis.) cranked the ball to right field that scored Abby Kerrins and freshman Julia Moker (Hubertus, Wis.).

The birds landed two more into the nest in the seventh inning when sophomore Megan Bloyer plated Madi Wheat and a sacrifice fly from sophomore Adrianna Martinez allowed Claudia Utz to cross home plate.

Senior Gina Followell was locked in again in the circle and landed 10 strikeouts on only two hits.

The birds were bandits in game one and stole four bases. Madi Wheat swindled two bases and Sydney Erdmann and sophomore Jess Pozezinski (Lake Villa, Ill.) snagged one base in the victory.

The trio of Madi Wheat, Jess Pozezinski and Gabbi Gaziano all grabbed two hits against Dominican.

The Falcons started rolling in game two in the third inning with a pair of runs.

The bat of junior Emily Walters (Waupun, Wis.) whacked Ashley Zappa across home plate.

Madi Wheat then scored Walters on a thrilling triple to the outfield.

In the fourth inning, Gabbi Gaziano sliced the ball through the middle of the infield that scored Claudia Utz. Gaziano then stole second base that occupied the defense as Julia Moker crossed home plate and slide under the tag.

An inside-the-park home run from Ashley Zappa down the right-field line also added Gabbi Gaziano to the scoreboard.  

The birds broke open the game again in the fifth inning with five more runs.

A single from Claudia Utz scored Madi Wheat and Sydney Erdmann.

Megan Bloyer bopped the ball into the gap in left-center field that allowed Jess Pozezinski and Claudia Utz to score.

The scoring on Friday ended with a single up the middle of the infield that put Megan Bloyer on home plate.

Senior Nicki Becker (Brodhead, Wis.) shot down the Stars with three strikeouts in the five-inning victory.

Ashley Zappa feasted on Friday with three hits in game two.

Sydney Erdmann, Madi Wheat, Julia Moker and Gabbi Gaziano all stole a base in game two.

The Falcons' defense left five Stars on the basepath in game two, including three on third base.

The Blue and White are scheduled return to NACC play on Sunday at Marian.