(Stickney, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College's Nicole Krupp had a day to remember both at the plate and in the pitching circle. The sophomore slugger rewrote the Chiefs' softball record books during her team's 14-0 drubbing of Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) foe Morton College in game one, and Waubonsee (10-18, 6-2) then completed the sweep by taking game two 8-0.
The Somonauk High School product became Waubonsee's all-time home run leader by smacking three home runs in game one. Krupp ripped a solo shot over the left centerfield fence in the top of the first, and hit a three-run shot to dead center in the third to tie Lauren Vitiello's Waubonsee record of 12 round-trippers in a season set in 2011. In the top of the fifth she set two Chiefs' records and tied another with one swing, drilling a two-run homer to right centerfield for her 13th of the spring. In addition that long ball gave her 20 home runs for her Waubonsee career, eclipsing Sara Rose's record of 19 set during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. In the process she also tied Rose's school mark for homers in a game which she set in 2010. The only thing missing for an unprecedented 'home run cycle' was a grand slam, which Krupp potentially had a chance to do in the second inning. Waubonsee sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the frame, including a bases-loaded, fielder's choice grounder by Krupp to score one of those runs.
Krupp finished the game 3 for 4 with seven runs batted in and four runs scored. As if that was not enough, the right-hander also twirled a one-hit shutout in circle, allowing just a single to Veronica Salinas leading off the fourth inning. Krupp finished with seven strike outs, walked two, hit a batter and faced just two batters over the minimum in five innings. Almost lost in the shadow of Krupp's big day, Claire Avery went 3 for 3 with three runs driven, while Megan Arcivar, Tori Isom and Brittany Thomas each collected two hits.
In game two Julia Penman limited the Panthers to only three hits in a six inning shutout. The Chiefs scored in every inning but the second as Autumn Sullivan paced the offense by going 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and two driven in. The Panthers avoided pitching to Krupp for the most part as she walked twice, was hit by a pitch and reached base on an error while scoring four more runs.
