The Dominican University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader on Monday evening, taking a pair of games from the Elmhurst College Bluejays at the Ballpark in Rosemont.  With the wins, the Stars improve to 9-5 on the season with another non-conference doubleheader on deck for Tuesday when the Carthage College Lady Red visit Dominican at the Ballpark.
 
"It was a really good day overall," said Cristina Lukas, the Stars' head softball coach. "We handled the pressure well and adjusted to five different pitchers that they threw at us.  Gabby Curran went 6-for-7 at the plate. The second game was highlighted by a five-hit shutout thrown by freshman Allyson Dilday and Jessica Evans made a pair of diving catches to help keep the shutout intact."
 
Game One: Dominican 9, Elmhurst 8
 
Trailing 6-1 after three innings, the Dominican University bats came to life in the top of the fourth, scoring eight runs to open a 9-6 lead.  In the inning, Dominican strung together eight hits, including back-to-back two run doubles by Curran and Katie Fredrick.  Julia Orozco sparked the rally, working a walk to lead off the inning. After Kenna Pierceall was hit-by-pitch, Cat Klostermann singled to load the bases.  An out later, Curran roped a double to right to score the first two runs of the inning before Fredrick followed with a double to the gap in left-center, pulling the Stars within a run.  Fredrick then evened the score at 6-6 when Sydney Kuderna singled.  After another single, Orozco came back up and delivered an RBI single before Pierceall pushed across the eighth and final run of the frame when she grounded to short, allowing Hannah Gordon to cross the plate.
 
Klostermann then took over for Kuderna in the circle, allowing just two runs over the final four innings to pick up the win.  In the bottom of the seventh, the Bluejays opened the inning with a leadoff single before Klostermann struck out the next two hitters.  Elmhurst's Mia Tran tried to tie the game, lacing a run-scoring triple to left field but got cut down at the plate, trying to leg out an inside the park home run.
 
The Stars managed 11 hits in the win, three for Curran who went 3-for-4 with a pair doubles.  Kuderna and Cecilia Winters McCarthy picked up two hits apiece.
 
Game Two: Dominican 5, Elmhurst 0
 
Dilday, a freshman right-hander, tossed her team-leading fourth complete game and first shutout of the season, scattering six hits and four walks over seven innings while striking out four.  With the win, the rookie improves to 3-1 on the season.
 
The Stars opened the game's scoring in the top of the third when Evans singled up the middle, scoring Curran who had another three hits in game two and was on base eight times in the doubleheader sweep.
 
Dominican tacked on a run in the top of the fifth when Pierceall singled up the middle to start the inning and took second when the ball was misplayed in centerfield.  After a sac bunt, Pierceall then took advantage of another Elmhurst error, coming across when an errant throw by the Bluejays catcher hit off a Dominican bat while trying to pickoff Pierceall.
 
The Stars then added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh.  Curran had an RBI single in the inning and her and Amanda Urdiales later scored when the Bluejays committed another error in the field, their third of the game.