MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Alverno College softball team closed out its 2026 season on Sunday afternoon, hosting Aurora University for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) doubleheader at Alverno Softball Field. The Inferno fell in both contests despite a strong offensive effort throughout the day, dropping game one 20-10 before a 13-5 loss in the finale.
Sophomore
Nadya Hudson (Milwaukee, Wis./Wauwatosa East) matched the program record for homers in a game with two homers in game one, ending the year with a team-high seven blasts. Senior
Emily Anguiano (South El Monte, Calif./San Gabriel Mission) homered and had three hits across her final collegiate doubleheader, while fellow senior
Giselle Moreno (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) capped her outstanding collegiate career with a 3-6 day, driving in two runs. Senior
Kate Peabody (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) scored two runs, had three hits, and drove in a run in her final collegiate doubleheader, with senior
Hailie Eschbach (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) totaling two hits, two runs, and a double in her final collegiate outing.
The doubleheader concluded the collegiate careers of the seniors Anguiano, Eschbach, and Moreno.
Alverno finishes the season at 3-33 (1-23 NACC), while Aurora improves to 26-14 (16-8 NACC) and advances to NACC postseason play.
Game One: Aurora 20, Alverno 10 (5 innings)
In a high-scoring opener, Aurora used a 13-run first inning to build an early lead, but Alverno responded with a strong offensive showing of its own, nearly pulling itself back into the game.
Hudson led the offense with two home runs and two RBI, while Anguiano drove in three runs on her first-inning home run. Junior
Alyssa Hubli (Kenosha, Wis./St. Joseph's Catholic Academy) and Peabody each recorded two hits, as the Inferno totaled nine hits in the contest.
After the big top of the first from Aurora, Alverno answered in the bottom of the first, as Anguiano launched a three-run home run and Hudson followed with a solo shot to quickly cut into the deficit.
The Inferno continued to battle throughout the game, adding a run in the second on a Moreno RBI single and another in the third on Hudson's second homer before a four-run fourth inning brought the Inferno within striking distance. Hubli delivered a two-run double in the inning, and Peabody added an RBI single during the rally.
Despite the offensive output from Alverno, Aurora added six runs to pull away and secure the run-rule win.
Sophomore
Riley Krider (Cromwell, Ind./West Noble) took the loss in the circle for the Inferno, while sophomore
Bailey Gardner (Eagle Lake First Nation, Ontario/University of Winnipeg Collegiate) went 4.2 innings in relief allowing five earned runs.
Nina Richards, Stephani Debise, and Lily Komperada hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the first inning, as Richards finished 3-5 with three RBI. Angie Delgado also went 3-5 with three RBI as she doubled twice, while Sarah McManus collected her third win of the season in relief.
Game Two: Aurora 13, Alverno 5 (5 innings)
In the finale, Alverno once again showed early offense, taking a first-inning lead before Aurora responded to complete the sweep.
Junior
Jaycee Reyes (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) had two RBI, while both Moreno and Anguiano had two hits and an RBI. Gardner once again pitched the bulk of relief, allowing just three earned runs, while sophomore
Cece Ehni (Snohomish, Wash./Monroe) took the loss.
After Aurora opened the game with two runs in the top of the first, the Inferno struck back with three runs in the opening frame, as Moreno and Anguiano each drove in runs with RBI singles, followed by an RBI groundout from Hubli.
Aurora answered with an eight-run second inning to take control and continued to add on throughout the game, scoring two in the third and one in the fifth.
Alverno added two runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-RBI single from Reyes.
Despite getting two runners on in the fifth, the Inferno couldn't force a sixth inning as Mia Rivera earned her 13
th win of the season with five solid innings, allowing just three earned runs.
Nina Richards, Mia Malczyk, and Holly Smith each homered for the Spartans, while Debise was 4-4 with two RBI.
