Kevin Jackman
Multimedia Editor
On May 11, 2013 the North Central softball team lost to Luther College for the second time in three games, ending one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history.
Fast forward to almost a year to the day, following their fourth 30-win campaign, second in as many years, the Cardinals finished off a clean three game sweep of their region with a redemption win over, you guessed it, Luther College.
For a second consecutive year, that game against Luther ultimately sent them home, except this time it was to host the first ever NCAA Division III Super Regionals against University of St. Thomas.
It was Cardinals versus Tommies, red versus purple, seemingly David versus Goliath and it was to play out on North Central’s turf at Shanower Family Field.
Unfortunately, just as the series was set to open on Friday May 16, Chiberia reared its head again, pushing game one to Saturday for a doubleheader.
Anticipation was building. Gameday arrived, Saturday was here and with it a max capacity crowd of purple and red.
Game one started as a pitcher’s affair, scoreless through the first two, only to see the Tommies strike for three in the third and another in the fourth.
In steps junior Kayla Antle with runners on second and third facing a four run deficit. A split second later and the ball was soaring to left-center field driving in two, with two more coming in on an Amanda Walker double and suddenly it was a tie game.
“We had the same general goal in mind for each game,” Antle said, “which was to focus on winning only one inning at a time.”
They had won the fourth inning only to surrender two more in the Tommie half of the fifth. It would stay a 6-4 game until junior Carly Trenhaile stepped to the plate representing the last hope for the Cardinals in the bottom of the seventh.
With a pair of runners on base Trenhaile lifted a pitch to right field, tucking it fair just inside the foul line. Tie game once again. Extra inning softball at Shanower Field, Cardinals looked like they were destined to win it.
That is, until a soft liner off the bat of the Tommies 9-hitter found a patch of grass in shallow right to end the game in walk-off fashion. Junior Amanda Walker and the Cardinals had dropped the first game.
“It lit a fire under our butts”, Walker said, “We played right with them even when we were not playing at 100%, and we knew we had to push just a little [bit]more to pull out the next win.”
It wasn’t a small fire the Cardinals lit for game two, it was a Fourth of July worthy display of fireworks.
Tied 2-2 heading into the fourth and North Central yet to lead at any point in the series they exploded. The inning looked like this: Walker single, Starr single, Trenhaile single, Mangia 3-run homer, Beck reaches on an error, Ryan double, Antle hit by pitch, Portillo hit by pitch, Tinkoff double to center, Walker walked, Starr singles, Trenhaile reaches on fielder’s choice (first out), Mangia single.
“(The dugout was) absolutely crazy! At that point we were able to be the intense, energetic, funny team that we know we can be.” Walker said. “We need to continue to have that attitude even when we are not in a huge inning.”
All in all, 13 reached base, 10 runs crossed the plate and Cardinals went from underdogs to slaughtering the top offensive team in the nation. Sunday went from being “*if necessary” to one of the biggest games in North Central history.
In a win or stay home game, momentum was on the side of the Cardinals from the onset.
After allowing a run in the top half of the third the Cardinals put up a four spot on the backs of Walker, Starr and Trenhaile to take a three run lead.
It didn’t last for long, though. Over the next four innings the Tommies put up nine runs, sealing their trip to Texas. The Cardinals road had come to an end after an incredible 33-13 season.
“After the game, Coach K [Kulawiak] told us that although the season didn’t end how we wanted it to, we still had a lot to be proud of.” Antle said. “We’re very excited to bring our success and failures from this past year into next year for motivation to be better.”
Vlasta Mangia and Taylor Ryan are the only seniors to depart, leaving behind a young, deep and hungry team.
“Although the loss of our two seniors is a big loss, we have the majority of the team returning as well as key incoming players next season.” Walker said. “I do not hesitate to believe that we will make it to at least super regionals, and hopefully farther.”
