FOREST PARK, Ill. -- Alverno College rallied to score three runs in the top of the fifth inning for a 5-3 Northern Athletics Conference victory over host Dominican University this evening at Forest Park. The host Stars picked up the 8-0 victory in game one of the doubleheader for the series split on the day.

The Inferno held Dominican to just a single hit and two runs in the first four innings of game one until the Stars exploded for seven hits and six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the 8-0 lead and end the game on the run rule.

Alverno connected for only two hits in the game, but managed to reach base on multiple occasions, stranding five runners in the shorted five-inning shutout.

In the nightcap the Inferno (10-20, 4-10 NAC) wasted no time erasing the zero from the scoreboard as freshman center fielder Bre Hart (Racine, Wis./Park) led off with an infield single. Hart was then advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Roxanne Kresmer (South Milwaukee, Wis.) before she was sent across home plate on a double to center field by freshman catcher Stef Wilmore (Elkhart, Ind./Central).

"Our focus at the plate was much improved in game two," Alverno head coach Kristin Kosobucki said. "We were just seeing the ball better from their pitcher in that game."

In the top of the third inning senior pitcher Jessica Goetz (Milwaukee, Wis./Martin Luther) would smash a double to left field sending home Wilmore for the 2-0 lead.

The Stars (15-10, 9-5 NAC) would battle back in the bottom of the inning taking the 3-2 lead on a homer to center field. All three runs would be unearned, however, as an outfield error allowed the inning to be prolonged.

After both teams would come up empty in the fourth inning, the Inferno would take the lead on bases-loaded single to right field by freshman third baseman Natalie Petrie (Franklin, Wis.) that scored Wilmore and Kresmer.

Junior left fielder Andrea Derrick (Greenfield, Wis.) would then send home Jamie Villalobos (Antioch, Ill.) on a groundout to first base for the 5-3 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth the Stars would threaten as the lead-off batter would reach on an error by junior shortstop Megan Burgess (Racine, Wis./Park). The next batter would fly out until the third batter would reach on a base hit, putting the go-ahead run to the plate with only one out.

Burgess would then redeem herself by turning a big-time double play to end the inning with no Stars scoring.

"That was a great turning point in the game and got us the momentum back," Kosobucki said. "Megan picked herself up, and all together the defense did a great job in game two. Jess only had the one strikeout and they were able to back her up with a strong defensive effort."

Dominican would lead off the bottom of the seventh with a single, but solid fielding by Alverno would secure the road victory.

Goetz got both decisions on the day to put her record at 10-17 this season--marking the first time in her career she has reached double-digit victories in a season. The 10 wins for Alverno's ace also tied the school's single-season record, with 10 regular season games remaining to break it. She also fanned seven batters putting her just three strikeouts away from breaking another single-season record, which she set last year at 174 Ks.

"(Goetz's) senior mentality--knowing it's her final year to compete and set a couple of records along the way--is her determination," Kosobucki said. "Though she's pitching all of these innings, she's so mentally focused and determined to pull through and help the team finish this season strong."

Wilmore led the Inferno offense with three hits in the twin bill (3-for-5) to go along with two runs and a RBI.

The Inferno host MSOE on Saturday in a conference doubleheader at Alverno Field before traveling to Rockford College for another pair of conference games on Sunday. Both days have the first pitch scheduled at Noon.