MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Alverno College softball team continued Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play at home on Sunday afternoon, earning a split with Concordia University Chicago on Senior Day at the Alverno Softball Field. The Inferno secured a 5–1 victory in game one before falling 14–5 in the second game of the twin bill.

Before the first pitch, Alverno honored its four seniors for their contributions to the program: Emily Anguiano (South El Monte, Calif./San Gabriel Mission), Hailie Eschbach (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper), Giselle Moreno (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech), and Kate Peabody (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore).

Moreno broke the all-time home-run record in the first inning of game one with her solo blast to right center, as her 19th career homer passed Stef Wilmore's 18 career homers that she recorded in her playing career from 2010 to 2013. 

Moreno led the way offensively in the opener with a home run and two runs scored, while also adding two hits, including a double, in game two. Sophomore Gianna Medrano (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) had three hits on the day, which was powered by a 3-3 game one performance, while sophomores Cece Ehni (Snohomish, Wash./Monroe) and Bailey Gardner (Eagle Lake First Nation, Ontario/University of Winnipeg Collegiate) combined for the win in the circle in game one, allowing just one run. The game one victory marked the first NACC victory for Alverno in almost two years, with their last win in conference play coming against St. Norbert on April 20, 2024.

The Inferno moved to 3-21 (1-11 NACC), and the Cougars moved to 12-18 (7-11 NACC) with the split on Sunday.
 
Game One: Alverno 5, Concordia Chicago 1
Alverno jumped out to an early lead in the opener and never looked back, using timely hits and strong pitching to take the Senior Day victory.

Moreno put the Inferno on the board in the bottom of the first inning, blasting a solo home run to right center for a 1–0 lead.  Alverno added to its advantage in the fourth with two big insurance runs, when Ehni delivered a two-strike, two-run single to score Jaycee Reyes (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) and Medrano.

The Inferno continued to extend the lead in the fifth, as Medrano doubled to right center to drive in Anguiano and Moreno, making it a 5–0 game.

Meanwhile, in the circle, Ehni and Gardner combined to limit Concordia Chicago to just one run across seven frames. Ehni tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and striking out one, while Gardner earned the win with 3.1 innings of relief, also allowing just four hits and striking out one while allowing the lone Cougar run. Concordia Chicago pushed across its lone run in the sixth, but Gardner shut the door to seal the 5–1 win, working around a two-out double to retire the final batter of the game. 

Medrano was the lone Inferno to have multiple hits, but eight of the Inferno starters got hits on the day, while everyone in the batting order reached base safely.

Mayah Larenas had two hits and drove in a run for the Cougars while Alyssa Lopez took the loss in the circle, going 3.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs.

Game Two: Concordia Chicago 14, Alverno 5
Concordia Chicago struck early in the second game, scoring six runs in the first inning and adding runs in each of the next two frames to build a commanding lead and earn the NACC split.

Eschbach and Moreno each had multi-hit outings in the second game of the day, while Eschbach drove in a run and Moreno added a double. Junior Alyssa Hubli (Kenosha, Wis./St. Joseph Catholic Academy) also added an RBI double, while sophomore Nadya Hudson (Milwaukee, Wis./Wauwatosa East) drove in two runs.

After the large early deficit, Alverno answered in the bottom of the fifth with its biggest offensive inning of the day, scoring five runs to cut into the deficit. Eschbach started the scoring as she singled to drive in a run, and was followed by an RBI double off the bat of Hubli. The Inferno scored three more runs in the inning with aggressive baserunning and timely contact, highlighted by a two-run fielder's choice off the bat of Hudson.

After the rally, Concordia Chicago responded with four runs in the sixth inning and then held Alverno scoreless in the sixth to take the win.

Melissa Hadzic had a massive day for the Cougars, hitting two homers: a three-run shot in the first, and a grand slam in the sixth, going 3-5 with seven RBI and three runs scored. McKyler Morris also homered and drove in two runs in a 2-4 day, while Alyssa Campos allowed two earned runs in 4.1 innings to earn the win in the circle for Concordia Chicago.