EUREKA, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team returned the diamond on Wednesday afternoon following a near two-week break from competition as the Regents headed South for a doubleheader against the Eureka College Red Devils. Rockford and Eureka share a bit of history as the two schools used to square off annually when both were members of the now defunct Northern Illinois Iowa Conference. Entering Wednesday's games, the Red Devils held a 24-11 advantage in the series. Eureka would continue to build on their series lead as the Red Devils won both games by final scores of 4-1 and 9-3.
Rockford struggled to get anything going offensively in the first game of the day as the Regents were held to just one hit. Senior Brittany Bura (Chicago, Ill.) crushed a solo home run with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to end Kali George's bid for a no-hitter. Unfortunately the Red Devils had already built 4-0 lead entering the sixth, so Bura's solo shot was not enough as Eureka won the opener 4-1.
Junior Stefaney Kenworthy (Veedersburg, Ind.) pitched well in the loss. Kenworthy tossed her team-leading third complete game of the season. She went 6 innings and allowed just 3 earned runs on 7 hits.
The Rockford bats began to awaken in game two as the Regents scored a trio of runs and led for part of the game. After falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Rockford scored a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to take its only lead of the afternoon. Junior Mercedes Boykin (Belvidere, Ill.) sparked the Regents offense as she smashed her first career home run to put her team in front 2-1. Rockford's lead did not last long as the Red Devils scored the next five runs including three in the bottom half of the third to take a 6-2 advantage. The Regents were able to manufacture one additional run in the top of the sixth when Lynn Blakeley-Snyder (Winnebago, Ill.) delivered a clutch one-out RBI single into left field as Rockford pulled back to within three at 6-3. However, the Regents would not get any closer as the Red Devils promptly responded with a trio of runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 9-3 victory.
The Rockford University softball team returns to the diamond on Thursday, March 31 at home against Lawrence University. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3:00 p.m. at the Smith Athletic Field on the campus of Rockford University.
