Nationally Ranked Cardinals Snap Titans’ Win Streak

UW-Oshkosh had its 10-game win streak end with two softball losses to North Central College on Saturday (April 19) in Naperville, Ill.

Sara Brunlieb suffered her first defeat in 11 appearances (8-0 record) as North Central captured the opener, 5-1. Cecie Portillo went 3-for-3 in the second contest to lead the Cardinals (27-5) to a 5-2 victory.

North Central College, ranked 16th in the NCAA Division III, took a 1-0 lead in the first game on Andrea Starr's second-inning sacrifice fly. The Titans (20-6) then tied the score on Haley Bayreuther's triple during the third inning.

The Cardinals took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning. Portillo and Kayla Antle led off the frame with singles before Kiersten Tinkoff followed with a three-run homer. Vlasta Mangia blasted a solo shot later in the inning for the game's final score.

Mangia also earned the complete-game win with four hits allowed and two strikeouts. After Brunlieb surrendered five runs, Lydia Klabunde threw three scoreless innings in her collegiate debut.

North Central jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the nightcap.

The Cardinals scored twice in the first inning on a single by Tinkoff and a double by Carly Trenhaile. North Central then tallied on doubles by Starr and Amanda Walker.

UW-Oshkosh made the score 4-2 with RBI singles from Tess Fadness and Lindsey Luedke in the fourth inning. North Central got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth with a single by Portillo.

UW-Oshkosh threatened down the stretch, but was unable to score after loading the bases in the fifth and putting two runners on base during the seventh.

Starr allowed five hits and struck out six in the victory, while Brunlieb allowed three runs over four innings for the loss.

Hayden Krueger had two of UW-Oshkosh's five hits. The Cardinals received two hits each from Antle, Starr and Trenhaile.

The Titans play a doubleheader at UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (April 23).

By Jon Feyen