Softball Stretches Win Streak to Five as Bocian Powers Maroons to Sweep

CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago softball team earned a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday night, stretching the Maroons' win streak to five with 6-2 and 9-6 wins over Carthage.

Nicole Wong got off to a rough start in the opening game of the day as the Firebirds scored first in the opening frame, but she responded in a major way as the senior retired 12 of the next 15 batters she faced to shut down the Carthage offense. Wong would finish the game with three strikeouts and only two runs allowed in a complete game.

UChicago answered the opening run for the Firebirds in the second inning as

Mia Bocian capped off a nine-pitch at-bat by launching a two-run home run deep over the centerfield wall, bringing home

Matilda Nelson to put the Maroons in front 2-1. Then, in the next inning,

Madeline Murphy was hit by a pitch, stole second base, and scored on a two-out double by

Olivia Cataldo to extend the lead to 3-1.

In the fifth inning, the Maroons stretched their lead once more with two more runs.

Lakyn Wilkinson led off the inning with a single into right field. Following a steal of second base, Murphy ripped a single into the right-center gap, scoring Wilkinson. Then, Cataldo ripped her second RBI double of the game, scoring Murphy for the second time, to stretch the lead to 5-1.

The Firebirds added one run in the top of the sixth inning, but UChicago took advantage of a pair of walks to add onto the lead once more. Nelson and Bocian both reached by a walk, and following a groundout, Murphy brought home Bocian with an RBI single. The Maroons would seal the 6-1 win in the final inning with a 6-4-3 double play.

In the second game of the day,

Alana Kimball started strong with only one baserunner allowed in the opening two innings, and the Maroons scored one run in both frames to take a 2-0 lead. Following a pair of singles by

Natalie Antin and

Audrey Hui,

Mia Bocian ripped an RBI single up the middle. Then, after a pair of walks by

Anna Jensen and

Melana Badea, Antin added the second run of the game with an RBI single.

In the third inning, the Firebirds took advantage of a pair of UChicago errors to score five unearned runs in the frame. The Firebirds then added another run in the fourth inning, stretching the advantage to 6-2.

The Maroons struck back in the fourth inning with a pair of singles by Antin and Hui and a pair of wild pitches by the Firebirds, cutting the lead to 6-3. Then, in the fifth inning, the UChicago offense finally broke through with the team's first crooked number of the day. Following walks by

Matilda Nelson and Jensen and a single by

Nanako Schroth, Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to two, and Hui ripped a two-out, two-run single into right center to level the score at six.

After a scoreless frame in the top of the sixth,

Mia Bocian put the Maroons back in front as she launched her second home run of the day over the center field wall, putting the Maroons up 7-6. Then, after a single by Nelson and a pair of walks by Schroth and Badea loaded the bases, Murphy brought home a run on a groundout, and Hui added another RBI single to take a 9-6 lead.

After missing the first game due to a mandatory class,

Marisa Lloveras joined the Maroons in style, jumping straight into the circle in the seventh inning. Lloveras shut down the Carthage offense with a scoreless seventh inning to earn the second save of her career, sealing the 9-6 win.

Eleanor Johnson earned the win in the circle with 3.1 innings in relief, allowing just one run and four hits to keep the Maroons within arm's reach, allowing the offense to complete the comeback victory.

Mia Bocian led the offense with three hits and three runs scored as she belted two long balls for four total RBIs.

Audrey Hui added four hits and a trio of RBIs, and

Madeline Murphy added two hits and RBIs in the doubleheader.

With the wins, the Maroons improve to 15-18 overall on the season. UChicago returns to its home field this weekend as the Maroons welcome NYU for a Senior Day series in Chicago. The first game is scheduled for 3 PM CT on Friday, May 1.