After splitting their last four Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) doubleheaders, the Dominican University softball team picked up their first league series victory on Saturday evening, sweeping the Rockford University Regents, 12-5 and 8-0 (5 Inn.) at the Ballpark in Rosemont.  With the wins, the Stars improve to 21-9 on the season and 6-6 in the NACC.
 
"It is nice to see things we have been working on start to pay dividends," said Cristina Lukas, the Stars' head coach following the wins. "We have been working really hard in the cages and our bats showed it tonight.  Jacadi Rivera has put in extra time with the coaches and her bat is really starting to heat up.  Right now we hope that we can peak as we head into the stretch run of the season."
 
Dominican will enjoy the Easter holiday on Sunday before returning to the Ballpark on Monday for a twin bill against the Edgewood College Eagles.  First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
 
Game One: Dominican 12, Rockford 5
 
After the Stars opened a 6-0 lead after four innings, the Regents put up a five spot in the top of the fifth to claw back into the series opener.  Dominican answered with five runs of its own in the bottom of the frame to jump back out to a six-run lead.  Rivera laced an RBI triple with one away to score Marisa Burns.  Rivera then scored when Katie Fredrick laid down the safety squeeze.  Back-to-back singles from Gabby Curran and Abby Maike but two runners on for Gabi Alfaro who hit her first of two inside-the-park home runs of the day when she found the line in right.
 
Sophomore lefty Sydney Kuderna picked up the win, allowing just one run over 6.1 innings of work.  Kuderna now stands at 12-5 on the season with a 2.69 earned run average over 91.0 innings of work.
 
Offensively, the Stars rapped out 15 hits, led by Rivera who went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and three RBIs.
 
Game Two: Dominican 8, Rockford 0 (5 Inn.)
 
Michele Behrens tossed four shutout innings, limiting the Regents to four hits, to improve to 3-2 on the season in the circle.
 
Already leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Dominican bats put the game away with a four-run frame.  Kuderna capped the inning with a two-run double to left-center, scoring Alyssa Domico and Rivera.
 
Kuderna went 3-for-3 at the plate while Alfaro collected two more hits, including her second inside-the-park home run of the night.