ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Elmhurst softball team slipped to 8-8 on the season after dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Benedictine University at The Stadium at the Ballpark in Rosemont.
 
Elmhurst dropped the opener 11-3 before falling 11-5 in the nightcap.
 
BENEDICTINE 9, ELMHURST 3 (Game One) – Benedictine scored three runs in the first and three in the sixth on its way to a 9-3 win over the Bluejays.
 
The Eagles used back-to-back walks to start the game before Courtney Grazs cracked a three-run home to left field to stake Benedictine to a quick 3-0 lead.

Val Perrelli tripled to right field and scored on Rebekah Ondracek's two-out single in the bottom of the first to bring the Bluejays to within two runs. The Eagles tacked on a run in the top of the third to extend their lead back to three runs. The Bluejays answered back with two runs in the bottom of the third on Bri Getzloff's RBI tirple and Ondracek's run-scoring double. Elmhurst trailed by just one run after (4-3) after four innings.
 
Benedictine put the game out of reach with runs in each of the next three innings. The Eagles scored two in the fifth, three in the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull away for the eight-run victory.
 
Perrelli and Ondracek led Elmhurst's offense with two hits apiece in the loss. Grasz sparked Benedictine at the plate with a pair of hits, three runs scored and five RBIs.

Bailee Krantz took the loss for Elmhurst, working 2.1 innings and allowing three hits and four runs. Holly Haberkorn pitched a complete game for the Eagles, scattering eight hits and three walks while striking out five.

BENEDICTINE 11, ELMHURST 5 (Game Two) – Benedictine took advantage of three errors in the second inning to score three unearned runs on their way to a doubleheader sweep of the Bluejays.
 
Elmhurst struck first in the contest, plating a run on back-to-back wild pitches on Benedictine. The Eagles took advantage of three Elmhurst miscues in the second inning to surge in front. Three straight errors loaded the bases for the Eagles with one out. A base hit from Breanna Sobotka and a two-run single from Kassee Johnson gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead after two innings of play. The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the third and plated three more in the fifth to build an 8-1 lead.
 
After being held without a hit for the first five innings, Elmhurst's bats came to life in the sixth. With two outs and one on, Ondracek, Mikayla Melone and Sydney Routsi roped three straight doubles to make the score 8-4. An error on the Eagles allowed another run to score, pulling Elmhurst to within three runs at 8-5.
 
Benedictine answered back with three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn the 11-5 victory.
 
Bri Getzloff recorded two of Elmhurst's five hits in the loss. Stefanie Sanidas made the start and took the loss, allowing just two hits and three unearned runs in 1.1 innings of work.
 
Elmhurst kicks off the CCIW portion of its schedule by hosting Carthage College on Saturday, April 1.