PNW Softball Drops Doubleheader to Cornersttone Tuesday
The Purdue University Northwest softball team dropped two decisions to Cornerstone University Tuesday afternoon.
The Pride (10-10) lost the first game 5-3, before dropping a 6-2 contest to the Golden Eagles (5-11) in the nightcap.
Game 1: Cornerstone 5, PNW 3
Cornerstone would take an early 3-0 advantage in the first inning, but the Pride would tack on a run in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI-single from Olivia Sardella (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central) that drove in Allyson Leach (DeMotte, Ind./North Newton).
The Golden Eagles would get that run back in the top of the third inning on an RBI-single from Rachel Younts to take a 4-1 lead over the Pride.
Taylor Kotzo (Munster, Ind./Munster) would drive in Sardella in the fourth inning to cut in to the Pride’s deficit, but Cornerstone would answer again in the top of the fifth to make it 5-2.
PNW would score one more run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI-single from Payne, but the Golden Eagles would hold the Pride scoreless for the rest of the game to take the Game 1 victory.
Caroline Brown (Minooka, Ill./Minooka Community) pitched a complete game for the Black and Gold, allowing just three hits and one earned run with three strikeouts.
Game 2: Cornerstone 6, PNW 2
After the Golden Eagles took a 4-0 lead heading in to the third inning, PNW would tack on a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, thanks to a 2-RBI single from Holly Pagan (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) that scored Haley Loden Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central) and Emily Cole (Frankfurt, Ill./Lincoln Way North).
Cornerstone would add two more runs in the sixth inning, which propelled them to the 6-2 victory.
Lauren Maynard (Griffith, Ind./Griffith), Tessa Steffens (Litchfield, Ill./Litchfield) Pagan and Loden all led the Pride with two hits apiece.
Pagan pitched a complete game for the Pride, allowing four earned runs while striking out eight.
The Black and Gold return to action Friday, Mar. 24, when the host Aquinas College in a doubleheader at Dowling Park starting at 3 p.m. (CT).
Purdue Nothwest's Cassidy Deno Named NAIA All-American Purdue University Northwest senior Cassidy Deno made her second-straight NAIA Division II All-American award with the recent announcement of the 2016-17 squad.
Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central), a 6-foot shooting guard, was named to the Second Team in her final year in a Pride uniform, after finishing her career as the second-leading scorer in PNW history.
The senior compiled an average of 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game for the Pride, who finished its season with a 24-9 overall record and qualified for its fourth NAIA Division II National Tournament in five seasons under 10-year head coach Tom Megyesi.
Deno became just the second player in PNW history to eclipse the 2,000-point mark, finishing her career with 2,228 points after netting 669 during her final season. She was named to the all-CCAC First Team for the second-straight year and was earlier named the CoSIDA College Division Academic All-American of the Year.
This marks the second-straight NAIA All-American honor for Deno, who was selected to the third team as a junior. She becomes the fifth player in Megyesi’s tenure to earn NAIA All-American honors.
St. Xavier junior guard Kara Krolicki was selected as the NAIA Division II National Player of the Year and national champion Marian (Ind.) Head Coach Katie Geralds snagged her second-straight NAIA Coach of the Year award.
Other CCAC selections on the All-American list included Charnelle Reed (St. Francis, First Team); Mikayla Leyden (St. Xavier, Third Team); Jess Learned (Olivet Nazarene, Third Team); Miranda Huibregste (Cardinal Stritch, Honorable Mention); Brittany Collins (St. Xavier, Honorable Mention); Jordan Giddings (St. Francis, Honorable Mention).
Local product Nicki Monahan (Indiana Northwest) was also selected to the Second Team.
Purdue Northwest Wednesday DH with Davenport Canceled The Purdue University Northwest softball team’s originally scheduled home Wednesday games with Davenport University (Mich.) have been cancelled due to inclement weather.
The games have not been rescheduled at this time.
PNW (10-8) hosts Cornerstone (Mich.) in a nonleague pair Tuesday (today) in a pair at Dowling Park’s Fifth Third Bank Field. Game 1 is set to begin at 2 p.m. CT.
For all current updates on schedule changes throughout the spring season, check out PNWathletics.com.
Purdue Northwest's Wednesday Twinbill Canceled The Purdue University Northwest baseball team’s originally scheduled home Wednesday games with Aquinas College (Mich.) have been cancelled due to inclement weather.
The games will not be rescheduled.
PNW (7-7) returns to action Saturday when the Pride open its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference season by hosting Robert Morris Illinois in a doubleheader at Dowling Park’s Albert’s Diamond Jeweler’s Field beginning at noon CT.
For all current updates on schedule changes throughout the spring season, check out PNWathletics.com.
