Elgin, Ill. – Finishing the 2008 strong, Judson (24-24) won their final game of the double header against Carthage College (19-11), 11-3, to win their 24th game of the season and break the single-season record for wins in a season. Judson fell in game one, 9-7, in eight innings. The 24 wins breaks the 23 wins from the 2002 season under Rick Eddy.
Judson had two strong offensive games as they combined for 18 runs and 24 hits. Of those 24 hits, three were home runs by Aimee Ewert, Debra Leganski, and Nicole Dimiceli.
Carthage bounced back with two runs in the top of the third inning and then added two in the fifth inning to tie the game. They took a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning on a home run by Tarah Ellington.
Judson rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning as Ewert tied the game with one out as she poked a shot over the center field fence. Judson had a chance to win the game with runners on second and third and only one out but the final two batters of the inning struck out.
Giving up four runs in the top of the eighth, Judson faced a four-run deficit, 9-5. Judson battled for two runs to come within two. Dimiceli came home for the sixth run when she crossed the plate on a CC error and then Sensor scored on the same play for the seventh run. Again, Judson's final two batters struck out leaving one runner in scoring position to end the game.
Overall, Judson left 12 runners on base and out hit Carthage, 14-13. Judson also committed four errors in the loss.
Ewert took the loss as she fell to 11-12 on the year while recording two strikeouts. Judson was led by Sensor's 4-of-5 appearance at the plate.
Judson scored four runs in the first two innings to take a 4-0 lead. They scored three in the bottom of the first inning to start off the game. Dimiceli batted in the first run on a fielder's choice as Krueger became the first run of the game. Two batters later, Leganski smacked her 14th home run of the season to make it 3-0.
In the bottom of the second inning, Dimiceli once again brought home a run as she grounded out to the pitcher to score Tricia Lakotish.
The bottom of the fourth inning saw five runs cross the plate for Judson as they took a 9-0 lead. Krueger made it 5-0 with a single down the left field line as Lakotish scored for the second time in the game. Two batters later, Dimiceli cranked her eighth home run of the season as she tapped one over right center field for a grand slam to make it 9-0.
Carthage College scored three run in the fifth inning to come within six, 9-3, but that is as close as they would come as Judson scored two in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.
Lizzy Jacobson won her 10th game of the season while striking out six batters. Dimiceli led Judson as she went 2-of-4 with seven RBI and three runs scored. Krueger, Sensor, Leganski, and Lakotish each had two hits. Leganski earned three RBI followed by one RBI from Krueger.
Judson finishes one of their finest seasons with 24 wins (school record), 3rd place at the NCCAA National Tournament, and a CCAC Tournament win. Judson also picked up their first-ever win over St. Xavier this season, too.
NOTES: Judson breaks the school record for wins with 24 as 23 was the record set in 2002…Nicole Dimiceli set a new single-season record for hits at 71 (old record was 60), RBI with 47 (old record was 42), runs scored at 44 (old record was 39), and at-bats with 163 (old record is 149)…Dimiceli tied the school record for doubles in a season with 20…Debra Leganski breaks the school record for home runs in a season with 14 (old record was five) and a career with 18 (old record was nine)…Judson had their best finish, ever, at the NCCAA Nationals in third place and won two games…Judson won their first CCAC Tournament game under Becky Bruns with a 5-4 win over Cardinal Stritch…Judson reached as high as #3 in the NAIA Regional poll…Judson went 6-4 to start the season in Arizona and knocked of nationally ranked McKendree College.
