St. Paul, MN -- Wednesday, North Central University (NCU) Softball returned to Reynolds Field for Game 3 against the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles, looking to build momentum after a strong showing against Crown. Despite holding things tight early and generating traffic on the bases, a big fourth inning proved to be the difference as the Rams fell 10-0 by mercy rule.
North Central showed early resilience defensively, working through the first three innings in a scoreless battle. Graduate student pitcher
Alley Fleener navigated early pressure, stranding runners in both the first and second innings with timely outs. The Rams' defense backed her up with key plays, including a clean third inning that kept the game level heading into the middle frames. Offensively, the Rams found opportunities in the second and third innings. Fleener helped her own cause with a single to center field before junior first baseman
Erica Gilles followed with a base hit to put two runners on. In the third, freshman infielder
Allina Mendoza reached via walk and advanced into scoring position, later stealing third to apply pressure. Freshman outfielder
Abi Rogers added a single to keep the inning alive, but the Rams were unable to push a run across. The game shifted in the fourth inning as a series of extra-base hits and timely swings allowed the Eagles to break things open. Despite the setback, Fleener completed 4.0 innings in the circle, continuing to carry a heavy workload for the Rams this season. North Central continued to compete in the fifth, with Mendoza collecting her second time on base with a single and freshman infielder
Alyssa Leos reaching after being hit by a pitch. The Rams finished the game with four hits and continued to show flashes of offensive consistency, particularly from Mendoza, Rogers, Fleener, and Gilles, who each recorded a hit.
Top Performers:
Looking Ahead:
Rams Softball returns to Reynolds Field tomorrow, April 16th, for a doubleheader versus Wisconsin Superior at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
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