The Purdue Northwest Softball team opened GLIAC play on Saturday afternoon in Rosemont, Illinois, splitting a doubleheader against Roosevelt. The Pride cruised to an 8-0 victory in Game 1 before dropping the second game, 8-4.

The Basics

• Records: Purdue Northwest (15-9,1-1 GLIAC), Roosevelt (8-15,1-1 GLIAC)
• Location: Rosemont, Illinois
• Attendance: 47 (Game 1), 74 (Game 2)

Game 1
The Breakdown

• Purdue Northwest secured a dominant shutout victory, scoring eight runs on eight hits.
• Freshman Gracie Jensen (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) led the offense with three hits and four RBIs, playing a key role in both scoring innings.
• Senior Amanda DeBoer (Dyer, Ind./Illiana Christian) added a hit and an RBI while scoring twice, and Charli Westerfield (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) reached base twice and scored two runs.
• Sophomore Kylie Madura (Munster, Ind./Munster) contributed two hits, including a double, and drove in a run.
• The Pride showed patience at the plate, drawing eight walks in the contest.
• Senior Hailie Charmat (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) earned the win with a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out four.
• Both teams remained scoreless through the first four innings as pitching controlled the early action.
• Purdue Northwest broke through in the fifth inning with four runs.
• DeBoer opened the scoring with an RBI single before Jensen followed with a two-run single to extend the lead.
• Madura capped the inning with an RBI double to make it 4-0.
• The Pride added four more runs in the sixth inning to put the game away.
• Jensen delivered again with a two-RBI single, and two additional runs scored on defensive miscues and a passed ball to stretch the lead to 8-0.
• Charmat closed out the shutout in the sixth inning to secure the run-rule victory.

Game 2
The Breakdown

• Purdue Northwest recorded 10 hits but fell short in an 8-4 loss in the second game.
• Madura led the offense with two hits, including a two-run home run in the seventh inning.
• Jensen added two hits, while junior Kylie Dugan (Buck Creek, Ind./William Henry Harrison), freshman Charli Westerfield (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) and senior Olivia Hernandez (Aurora, Ill./Aurora Central Catholic) each contributed to the 10-hit effort.
• Freshman Mercedes Szakacs (Portage, Ind./Boone Grove) recorded an RBI double as part of the Pride scoring.
• Freshman Chloe Tanner (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) took the loss in the circle after allowing four runs in the first two innings.
• Roosevelt jumped out early, scoring one run in the first inning and adding three more in the second to take a 4-0 lead.
• The Pride responded in the third inning with two runs.
• DeBoer reached on an error that brought in a run before Szakacs followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-2.
• Roosevelt added two runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-2.
• Purdue Northwest attempted a late rally in the seventh inning.
• Madura delivered a two-run home run to bring the score to 8-4, but the comeback fell short.

Up Next

• Purdue Northwest continues GLIAC play when they trave to take on Parkside on Sunday, March 21. The doubleheader begins at 12:00 PM CT and the games will be played at the Carthage College Softball Field.