Site: Tucson, Ariz. (Lincoln Park)
Game One Score: Madonna University 14, Purdue University North Central 6 (6 Innings)
Game One Score: Madonna University 9, Calumet College of St. Joseph 1 (5 Innings)
Records: MU 2-0, PNC 0-1, CCSJ 0-1
Next MU event: Sunday, March 7 vs. Hope International (Lincoln Park), 10:00am

PURDUE NORTH CENTRAL BOX SCORE| CALUMET ST. JOSEPH BOX SCORE

TUCSON, Ariz. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - The No. 14-ranked Madonna University softball team opened its 2010 season with a pair of convincing wins over Purdue University North Central and Calumet College of St. Joseph by finals of 14-6 and 9-1 respectively.

PURDUE NORTH CENTRAL GAME
The Crusaders (1-0) found themselves down 2-0 after one inning as PNC got to junior All-American Jess Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) for a pair of runs in the first.

MU responded with a run in the second to make it a 2-1 game. Junior Tara LaMilza (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) led off with a double and moved to third on a ground out from sophomore Hallie Minch (Garden City, Mich.). Freshman Erika Landess (Carleton, Mich.) drove in LaMilza with a single to trim the Crusaders deficit to one.

The Crusaders tied the game at 2-2 in the third when junior Kelly Lesko (Trenton, Mich.) singled to lead off the inning and came home on a double from freshman Arielle Cox (Newport, Mich.) to pull MU back to even with Purdue North Central.

MU broke the game open in the fifth, scoring five times with LaMilza, Landess and Kethe all driving in runs to put the Crusaders on top 8-2.

PNC got a run back in the bottom of the fifth but MU responded in a big way in the top of the six, scoring six runs with senior Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) driving in a pair with a double in the midst of eight straight Crusaders reaching base to start the inning to put Madonna on top 14-3.

Purdue North Central did not go down with out a fight in the sixth as Irwin issued back-to-back walks to open the inning and a single allowed run number four to come across and head coach Al White brought in Minch to close the game out. The sophomore righty gave up a double but got the final PNC hitter to ground to second to end the game and move Madonna to 1-0 on the year.

Irwin (1-0) was effectively wild in her first outing of the year, striking out seven while allowing six hits, a like number of earned runs and walking two hitters. Landess and Cox were both impressive in their collegiate debuts, posting four and three hits respectively with Landess driving in four runs as well.

CALUMET COLLEGE OF ST. JOSEPH GAME
Minch got the call in the circle for game two and much like Irwin in the opener gave up a run to open the game but it would be the only run she allowed as MU downed Calumet College of St. Joseph 9-1 in five innings.

MU put up a pair of runs in its half of the first - and scored at least one run in every inning of the game - when Cox reached on a one out single before moving to second when junior Ashley Shay (Garden City, Mich.) reached on an error. Both runners came home on a LaMilza double that made it 2-1 after one complete.

The Crusaders added single runs in the second, third and forth, getting RBIs from Lesko, LaMilza and Scero to make it a 5-1 game.

MU put the game away in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four times to invoke the run rule. Sidor led off with a double and came home on a Shay single that made it 6-1. Pinch runner Amber Rafko (Monroe, Mich.) moved to second on a walk to LaMilza and both runners moved up a base on a steal to put runners at second and third for Minch. Minch then helped her own cause with a single that scored both runners and made it 8-1. Landess and Kethe followed with singles to reload the bases for Lesko who also singled and scored Minch to end the game with a 9-1 final.

After allowing an unearned run in the first, Minch settled in and allowed just one additional base runner the remainder of the game to open the season at 1-0. Landess had the hot bat for MU in the night cap, posting three hits while Cox, LaMilza and Lesko each delivered a pair of hits.

MU continues day two in Arizona with game against Hope International and Peru State on Sunday (March 7).

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834