ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Roosevelt softball team collected its first win in program history on Thursday afternoon, scoring nine unanswered runs in a 9-5 come-from-behind victory over visiting Calumet College of St. Joseph at the Dome at Rosemont. The victory secured a doubleheader split in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both sides with the Crimson Wave surging to a 17-1, five-inning triumph in game one.
"I am so proud of this team," said Roosevelt head coach Amanda Scott. "To rally back and take game two was huge. We saw run production through the entire batting order, and we played great defense. It was a complete team effort."
Freshman Morgan Vogt was the catalyst for the Lakers (1-5, 1-1) in game two of the doubleheader, collecting the win in the circle while also going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a triple and two RBI.
The Crimson Wave (10-7, 1-1) got to Vogt early with five runs on six hits in the opening two frames to jump out to a 5-0 advantage. The rookie settled down in the circle from that point on, though, retiring 17 of the last 18 batters she faced with a lone walk the only blemish in a dominating finish to the contest.
Vogt kept Roosevelt in the game in the circle, but got them back in the game at the plate. She started a rally in the fourth with a leadoff triple that led to a pair of runs scoring on back-to-back RBI doubles from Kelly Crowley and Kristy Santora. Vogt keep the offense cooking in the fifth with a two-run double that cut the Crimson Wave's advantage to 5-4. That knock sparked a seven-run surge by the Lakers with Courtney Raschk giving Roosevelt its first lead of the day with a two-run single. Pinch-hitter Kathy Crowley and Samantha Kusta added run-scoring hits to help push the Lakers' advantage to 9-5.
Roosevelt totaled 12 hits in the contest, 10 of which came in the final three innings. Jessica Taylor had a three-hit afternoon for the Lakers to match Vogt's effort at the plate.
Abigail Nelsen was the losing pitcher for the Crimson Wave. She started and later returned in relief, giving up five runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.
"Morgan was awesome on both sides of the ball," Scott said of Vogt. "I thought our infield made some clutch plays as the game went on."
The Crimson Wave rolled to a 17-1, five-inning triumph in the opener, totaling 17 hits and scoring three or more runs in every frame. Jessica Pabey (3-for-4, 2 RBI), Caitlin Wilcox (3-for-3, 3 RBI) and Jessica Miles (3-for-4, 3 RBI) each had three hits for Calumet-St. Joseph with the trio combining to drive in eight runs.
Pitchers Alex Latronica and Cassie Mills kept a potent Roosevelt offense at bay, limiting the Lakers to just one unearned run and five hits. Starter Latronica collected the win after tossing three innings and allowing one run on two hits. Mills pitched two shutout frames for the Crimson Wave.
Morgan Youskevtch (0-3) was tagged with the loss in the circle for Roosevelt, surrendering seven runs on seven hits in 1.2 innings of work.
With the Lakers trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning, freshman Kelly Crowley drove in the lone run of the game with a two-out single that plated Kusta.
"We have seen a lot of fight out of this team in just six games," said Scott after her team notched the program's inaugural victory and the first win of Scott's young head coaching career. "It feels great to get our first win, and I know this will be a huge source of confidence as we move forward."
The Lakers will be back in action on Friday when they play the first of four games at the Lindenwood-Belleville Tournament in Fairview Heights, Ill. Roosevelt opens the event versus Judson at 12:00 p.m.
