Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Dominican University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with the North Park University Vikings on Thursday afternoon.  In damp, cold conditions, the Stars came up on the short side of a 9-3 game one before exploding for 16 hits and 12 runs in a 12-3 win in game two.
 
In game one, the Stars fell behind 9-0 before getting on the board when Sara Hausl (St. Charles, Ill.) deposited a pitch over the fence in centerfield with Allie Evans (Greenwood, Ind.) and Kaitlin Barajas (Dyer, Ind.) aboard for the ride.  It was the only offense Dominican managed in the game behind Siena Gyure (Crown Point, Ind.) who made her sixth start of the season in the circle.
 
Game two was a different story, as the Stars broke open a scoreless tie with a five-run third inning.  The Stars rapped out four hits and capitalized on a pair of Viking errors in the inning.  The Stars tacked on five more runs in the top of the fifth behind a RBI doubles by Hausl and Barajas and a run scoring triple by Catherine Conte (Elmwood Park, Ill.).
 
Dominique Schneider (Lockport, Ill.) picked up her third win of the season, tossing four scoreless innings before giving way to the Dominican bullpen.  Schneider scattered five hits and one walk while striking out one.
 
With the split, the Stars move to 12-8 on the season, returning to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) action this weekend with series against Wisconsin Lutheran on Saturday and Alverno College on Sunday.