Tucson, Ariz. - The Rockford University softball team (1-5) took to the diamond against two very strong teams on Thursday. Rockford matched up against the College of Staten Island Dolphins (1-2) falling 9-0 before dropping to the Wittenberg University Tigers (4-7) 10-2. Staten Island finished 35-9, and 12-0 in its conference from a season ago. While Wittenberg had just beaten #2 ranked St. John Fisher 4-3, two days prior to taking on Rockford.
In game one Rockford struggled early as RU gave up all nine of the Dolphins runs in the bottom of the first inning. While the defensive play picked up for the Regents they could not get it going for their bats. Despite being shutout in the game Rockford rebounded well from the 9-run first inning and did not allow another run the rest of the game.
Rockford's best chance at earning a run came in the fourth inning when Taylor Pilarczyk (Chicago, Ill.) got the bats going with a single through the left side giving the Regents one runner on with no outs. A few batters later Abigail Wellwood (Rockford, Ill.) drew a walk that would put runners on first and second. Unfortunately, Rockford could not bring the runners home as RU left two stranded during the inning.
Brittany Bihun (Schaumburg, Ill.) and Taylor Pilarczyk both went 1-for-2 at the plate during the game.
In game two the Regents opened the game off strong scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Gretchen Schrubbe (Elgin, Ill.) got RU started as she singled to right field. Allison Kaiser (South Elgin, Ill.) followed up with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt to advance Schrubbe to second, giving Rockford a runner on second with one out. Next up, Brittany Bihun hit a laser back up the middle that brought Schrubbe home on the play.
Unfortunately for Rockford the Tigers would have an answer in the bottom of the first as the Regents allowed seven of the teams ten runs in the frame. Wittenberg would continue to tack on the score as it tallied two runs in the second and one in the third.
Come the top of the fourth inning Taylor Pilarczyk stepped to the plate and cranked one to left center that earned her a double on the play. One batter later McCathran Andrew (Rockford, Ill.) singled to right center, bringing in Pilarczyk to tally an RBI. Unfortunately, that would be the end of the Regents run as they fell to the Tigers by a final score of 10-2.
Taylor Pilarczyk led the way for Rockford against Wittenberg as she went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double, as well as scoring a run. McCathran Andrew and Brittany Bihun each recorded and RBI in the game.
