ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst University softball team earned a doubleheader sweep over North Central College Tuesday afternoon at Salt Creek Park, winning by scores of 4-3 and 4-1.

Elmhurst (10-9, 3-1 CCIW) used strong pitching performances in both games, as well as clutch final-inning hitting to secure their first conference sweep of the season over the rival Cardinals (6-15, 4-6 CCIW).

Game one saw the Bluejays struggle in the first inning, with starter Chiara O'Leary giving up three runs to open a 3-0 lead for the visitors. The Bluejays clawed back at the lead, scoring a pair in the third inning on a wild pitch and RBI single from Reese Coon, and tied the game at three in the fourth after another wild pitch from the Cardinals.

With O'Leary settling in and the Bluejays looking to plate the go-ahead run, Bailey Proffitt was able to knock a go-ahead double into left center field to plate Brenna Morley and give the Bluejays a 4-3 advantage. O'Leary was able to go back out in the top of the seventh and sit down the Cardinals in order, profiting the Bluejays their second conference win of the season.

O'Leary pitched all seven innnings, giving up three runs in the first before allowing no more runs in the following six innings, while giving up eight hits and grabbing one strikeout. At the plate, Coon and Proffitt tallied RBI's while Morley scored two of the Bluejays' four runs.

In game two, a pitchers duel broke out as both the Bluejays and Cardinals were knotted at one after third inning and stayed that way until the final inning of the game. The Bluejay bats exploded in the seventh inning, with Ali Mockenhaupt tallying the go-ahead RBI. Proffitt came through again for Elmhurst, knocking a single to center field to score another run before a bases-loaded two-RBI double to left-center off the bat of Coon to double the team's run output and put the Bluejays ahead 4-1.

Starter Brianna Pisauro tossed all seven innings for the Bluejays, giving up five hits and just one run while garnering two strikeouts to earn the victory in the circle. Coon led the way at the plate with two RBI, while Mockenhaupt and Proffitt tallied the other two RBI for Elmhurst.

UP NEXT

Elmhurst will continue CCIW play at Salt Creek Park this Saturday, April 15, welcoming in Augustana College (IL) for a doubleheader begining at 1:00 p.m. CT.

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