Cougar Softball Eliminated with Loss to Stars

May 4, 2013 - An exciting Concordia-Chicago softball season came to a quiet end this afternoon in Milwaukee. The Cougars lost their second game in the Northern Athletics Conference tournament, 8-0 to Dominican University and were eliminated from further competition.

Coming off a tough one-run loss in Thursday's first game, the Cougars found themselves waiting in vain all day on Friday before resuming action this morning. Adding to the challenge, Concordia was facing the conference Pitcher of the Year Emily Mahoney who had pitched a perfect game against Wisconsin Lutheran College two days ago.

Cougar freshman Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) dashed any thoughts of another Mahoney gem by reaching on a two-out single in the first. However, Mahoney was able to get the third out while embarking on a string of nine straight batters.

Alicia Salata (Bartlett, IL/H.S.) started in the circle for the Cougars. In each of the first two innings, the Stars put their leadoff batter on base and bunted her into scoring position. However, Salata wriggled out of trouble both times, catching Mahoney in the first and EricaKing in the second looking at third strikes.

Dominican finally broke through in the third with a pair of runs. Sarah Hausl doubled to left to drive in the first run, and a sacrifie fly by Jessica Wood made it a 2-0 lead after three.

In the fourth, Jenni Jensen (Chicago, IL/Luther North) ended Mahoney's string of nine straight batters retired when she singled to center with two out. Jensen stole second, giving Concordia its first runner in scoring position. However, Mahoney once again came up with the strikeout when she needed it most to keep Dominican's lead at two.

The Stars put the game away with six runs in the fourth. Kaitlin Barajas led off the inning with a homer, and Andrea Pinarski added a two-run double later on. Andrea Kelly (Elk Grove, CA/Laguna Creek) came in to pitch, and she retired Barajas on a fly ball to end the inning.

Concordia needed a run in the fifth to extend the game, and Sarah James (Riverside, IL/Riverside-Brookfield) drew a one-out walk to give the Cougars a chance. However, a line out to third base and a line drive to the centerfielder followed as the curtain came down on the Cougars' season.

The Cougars finished with a 19-22 season, the 19 wins marking the highest in the history of the program. head coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher's team also produced an all-time best conference record of 15-9. The team will bid farewell to four departing seniors - Sami DeFord (South Bend, IN/Marian), Olivia Hires (Denver, CO/Bear Creek), Caitlin Richards (Chicago, IL/Mother McAuley) and James.