MILWAUKEE – In a thrilling contest of which the outcome was very much in limbo until the final out, No. 6 Marian University pulled off the upset over No. 3 Dominican University, 7-6, to close out the first day of Northern Athletics Conference Tournament play at Alverno Field.
With the win, the Sabres move on to face No. 2 Aurora University tomorrow at 11 a.m. while the Stars will fight to prevent elimination at 3 p.m. against the loser of the contest between No. 1 Benedictine University and No. 4 Lakeland College.
Although Dominican (24-14) is the team known for blasting home runs, launching a league-leading 34 as a team this season, the upstart Sabres (21-19) beat the Stars at their own game, cracking four home runs in the contest off Dominican’s ace pitcher, sophomore Jori Cicale (Steger, Ill./Marian Catholic), to ring up six of their seven runs. Cicale had only given up 12 bombs all season heading into today’s game.
The match-up between the two teams looked to be a close one in the early going with the first inning of play resulting in a tie, beginning with a lead-off home run by Marian senior Emily Weisman (Sheboygan, Wis./South), which proved true through the very end of the seventh inning.
Sophomore right-hander Cherise Waltz (South Byron, Wis./Oakfield) deftly handled the pitching load for the Sabres for the entire seven innings and worked her way out of a sticky situation in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded, painting the corners to help secure the win. After a double by Dominican sophomore Kristin Look (Frankford, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) and a single by freshman Melissa Summaria (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee Crown) brought in a pair of runs to help the Stars creep within one run of Marian’s 7-6 advantage, senior Shelley Kurcz (Crown Point, Ind.) singled to load the bases with two outs on the board. At that point, Waltz forced junior Katie Jensen (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) to ground out to first base to end the game.
No doubt the Sabres were thankful for their own two runs at the top of the seventh when senior Maria Archie (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) went yard for 2 RBI. Senior Ashley Engler (Waterford, Wis.) also registered a 2 RBI shot in the fifth fram, while fellow senior Amy Malcore (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) found the other side of the fence in the third inning to account for the Sabres’ fourth home run of the game and their 25th of 2010.
Malcore led the way for Marian at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort and one RBI followed by freshman Emilie Jansen (Kaukauna, Wis.), who had two hits on three at-bats.
The Stars boasted five players with two hits in the game, with junior Abbey Bullerdick (New Market, Ind./Southmont) picking up a pair of RBI in addition to batting .500 on the day. Although Dominican registered two more hits than Marian, the squad stranded eight runners on base while the Sabres only left five.
Like Waltz, who picks up her 10th win of the season while scattering 12 hits and fanning three batters, Cicale spent all seven innings in the circle for the Stars, allowing 10 hits with four strikeouts and one walk to drop to 14-8 on the season.
First pitch tomorrow is slated for 9 a.m. between Benedictine and Lakeland followed by an 11 a.m. start for the Aurora/Marian match-up.
Although tomorrow’s forecast calls for rain showers on and off throughout the time period of tomorrow’s five scheduled games at Alverno Field, efforts will be made to ensure that as many games are played as the weather and the conditions of the playing surface will allow. For up-to-date information, please click here.
