Amber Dasenbrock was strong on the mound and later at the plate Monday as the host Chaparrals split their Region 4 doubleheader against Kankakee College, winning 5-3 and losing 6-2 at Sark Park.
 
The Chaps, now 6-4 overall, are at Harper College Tuesday in N4C play, and return home Friday against Elgin.
 
Game 1: Chaps 5, Kankakee 3
Nicole Brace had a big day at the plate and backed up her battery mate Dasenbrock, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Her two-run double spotted Dasenbrock a 5-0 lead after four innings.
 
Dasenbrock effectively kept the Cavaliers off the scoreboard with seven strikeouts and issued just one walk. She scattered 10 hits.
 
Leading 2-0, Brace connected on a single that scored Dasenbrock in the third. One inning later, her double to center brought in Carlee Baker and Dasenbrock and COD led 5-0.
 
The Cavs scored three runs in the seventh.
 
Baker and Dasenbrock each had two hits.
 
Game 2: Kankakee 6, Chaps 2
The Cavaliers took command, leading 6-0 through five innings, before the Chaps mounted a rally late.
 
Dasenbrock ripped a two-run shot that just cleared the left-field foul pole that put the Chaps within four runs of the lead but couldn't get any closer.
 
The Chaps had seven hits, but Dasenbrock had the only extra-base hit against the Cavaliers' Katie Lorscheider, who had six strikeouts and issued two walks.
 
Coach says
"I thought Amber was a buzz saw in the circle today,'' head coach Ryan Connell said. "Her screwball was on and they had trouble against it. And her homer in the second game gave us a chance to get back into the game. She's a spark plug for the entire team.''