Things continue to go in the right direction for the Triton College softball team. On Monday, the Trojans climbed up two spots to
No. 10 in the latest NJCAA Division II poll. Then later on in the evening, Triton swept a doubleheader from Morton College by scores of 11-7 and 12-0 in five innings.
The national ranking is the highest of the season for the 33-5 Trojans. Last season, Triton reached as high as a No. 7 ranking during their historic 53-10 run the national tournament.
Triton, winners of their last 13 games, appears to have all the pieces to make another return trip to the NJCAA Division II National Championships in Oxford, Alabama next month. But the Trojans will have plenty of tests along the way with 11 more schedule games to go before they begin their defense of the Region 4 championship May 10.
Head coach
Christina Christopher played practically the entire roster in their game one win over Morton. Even ace pitcher
Alyssa Stramaglia got her first pair of at-bats and played a couple of innings over at first base.
The Trojans jumped out to a 5-0 first inning lead on a two-run double from
Celeste Boshold followed by a solo home run from Oak Park native
Lucy Goodwin and a two-run home run to dead center by Leyden High School graduate
Breanne Deutscher.
Boshold would later add a two-run home run in the second inning to give the Trojans a comfortable 8-2 cushion to allow Christopher to work in others in the game as Triton held off a late Panthers rally.
However, there was no messing around in game two with Stramaglia in the circle. The sophomore from Melrose Park improved to 16-2, allowing two hits and striking out nine Morton batters in five innings.
The Trojans scored runs in all five frames, as despite playing in River Grove, batted first as the contest originally scheduled to be played at Morton was moved to Triton.
Stramaglia got in on the offensive fun as she helped her own cause with a home run after nearly going deep in the first game. Goodwin hit her second home run of night along with
Melissa Gonzalez going yard as the Trojans cruised to victory.
However, the degree of difficulty goes up significantly in Triton's next game. The Trojans will host NJCAA No. 11 rated Kirkwood Community College from Cedar Rapids, Iowa in a twin bill Thursday beginning at 3 p.m. The game against the 32-14 Eagles will definitely have a national tournament feel. Kirkwood was 52-14 last season and like Triton played at the NJCAA Championships a year ago in Alabama. The doubleheader will be streamed live on the
Triton College YouTube channel.
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