ROSEMONT – Roosevelt came through with the plays when it mattered most to open the 2025 season with a pair of victories inside the dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex on Friday.

The Lakers rallied for a 3-2 win over Indiana South Bend in the first game of the day before holding off Olivet Nazarene 5-2 in the second contest. It marks the first time since 2021 that Roosevelt has won its first two games of the season.

ROOSEVELT 3, INDIANA SOUTH BEND 2
Kailey Hancock got the opening day start for the Lakers and quickly mowed down the Titans in order to start the game. In what became an unfortunate trend in the first four innings, the Lakers put plenty of pressure on the Indiana South Bend defense, but failed to scratch across a run while leaving six runners on base.

The Titans scored first on a sacrifice fly in the second then added a second run in the third inning on a sacrifice bunt. But as she did the entire day, Ella Dvoracek was ready for a response to uplift the Lakers offense. The sophomore outfielder doubled down the left-field line in the fifth inning then advanced on an infield single for Caitlin Williams. Athena Pomele-Pen was able to score both runners with a line drive up the middle, tying the game.

Roosevelt was arguably only able to tie the game due to the poise of freshman pitcher Riley Czarnecki. The Wisconsin native entered the game in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and just one out, but quickly escaped with a strikeout and groundout. The freshman struck out five and allowed just two hits in 3.2 innings to earn her first collegiate win.

Dvoracek was back at it in the seventh inning with an infield single to lead off the frame and Williams again reached with an infield single to put two runners on base. Pomele-Pen expertly laid down the bunt to move the runners and set up senior Brynn Dvoracek. The first baseman laced a single into center field to score her sister from third base, capping off the Lakers' comeback.

ROOSEVELT 5, OLIVET NAZARENE 2
Roosevelt fell behind 2-0 in the first inning against Olivet Nazarene, but after that opening frame, it was mostly smooth sailing for the Lakers. Catie Luzzi bounced back from a rough outing against Indiana South Bend to allow just four hits in 4.1 innings to earn her first collegiate win. Czarnecki pitched a five-out save, striking out three and allowing just one hit to earn a save.

Ella Dvoracek reached base in all four plate appearances against the Tigers, finishing the day 6 for 8 with a pair of fielder's choices. In the third inning, Dvoracek reached when the Olivet Nazarene shortstop walked Kendall Pearson back to second base after the outfielder singled and advanced on an error. Two batters later, Brynn Dvoracek tied the game with another single up the middle, plating her sister and Pearson.

The Lakers broke the 2-2 deadlock in the fourth inning with a Bianca Gallegos double to center field. Ella Dvoracek then followed with an RBI single to push the advantage to 4-2. Yet the sophomore was not done and hit her first collegiate home run with a drive to left field that evaded the left fielder. The ball bounced to the wall, allowing the speedy Dvoracek to round the bases with plenty of time to spare.

Pearson finished the game 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored.

UP NEXT: Roosevelt will face Lewis in a doubleheader starting at noon on Sunday back at the dome in the Parkway Bank Sports Complex.