April 9, 2011 - Concordia's softball Cougars faced another stiff test this afternoon as they took on local rival Dominican University. The Stars came in with a 12-4 record, but the Cougars came so close to stealing both games. In the end, the Stars took a walk-off 7-6 win in game one and held off the determined Cougars by a 6-5 final in the nightcap.
Dominican took a 5-1 lead after four innings of game one. Concordia's lone run came on Megan White's (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) fourth homer, a leadoff shot to right-center in the third. The Cougars nibbled away and scored a run in the fifth on Cassie Slechta's (Berwyn, IL/Walther Lutheran) leadoff single, a sacrifce and Sara Bader's (Richfield, WI/Kettle Moraine Lutheran) RBI single to left.
The Cougars then stunned the home team and its fans with a four-spot in the sixth. They loaded the bases on singles by Michelle Ciric (DesPlaines, IL/Elk Grove), Clarissa Gieseke (Roselle, IL/Lake Park) and Slechta. With two out, Sami DeFord (South Bend, IN/Marian) came through with the big blow, a grand slam to left that put the Cougars up 6-5.
The Stars failed to score in the sixth but, with one out in the seventh, they put runners on third and second. Beth Sandor came through with the game-winning single to hang the tough loss on DeFord and the Cougars.
Concordia showed no hangover from the disappointing game one result as they scored twice to start game two. Olivia Hires (Denver, CO/Bear Creek) and Taylor Golden (Chicago, IL/Trinity) doubled to produce the first run. One out later, Slechta's grounder was booted by the first baseman as Golden trotted home with run number two.
Domincian answered back with single runs in the first and second, and two runs each in the third and fourth to take a 6-2 lead. Again, Concordia battled back as they plated two in the fifth. They loaded the bases with nobody out, and infield grounders by Gieseke and Slechta made it Dominican 6, Concordia 4.
It was still a two-run lead as the Cougars came up for their final at-bat in the seventh. Golden led off with a double and scored one out later on an infield error. DeFord and Bader reached to load the bases, but Dominican's pitcher retired Laura Hunte (Momence, IL/H.S.) to end the game and another brave effort by Concordia.
The Cougars (5-14, 3-5 NAC) will host Benedictine University on Wednesday afternoon.
