March 29, 2014 – After a 21-day layoff and in 25-degree cooler temperatures, the Cougar softball team resumed play with a doubleheader Saturday against conference opponent Lakeland College. The Cougars split the two close games at Melas Park in Mount Prospect as they lost the first game 5-2 and won the second 5-3. CUC is 4-6 (1-1) on the season.
 
Head Coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher  reflected on the opening NACC games and said, "We were a little bit rusty after the long layoff, but Lakeland was too. We have to be ready to play whenever the games can be played during this spring weather."
 
In the first game of the day, pitcher Alicia Salata (Bartlett, IL/Bartlett) started off brightly and cruised through the first three innings with only one run allowed on a wild pitch. In the second inning, Jenni Jensen (Chicago, IL/Luther North) led off with a single, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch but was stranded. In the third inning the Cougar bats got going and they scored two runs on three hits and a dash of aggressive base running. The Cougars executed a double steal for their first run. Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) followed with an RBI single for the 2-1 lead.
 
Unfortunately, mental errors in the top of the fourth allowed four runs for the Muskies and the final margin of 5-2 was in place. The CUC bats were not able to overcome the Lakeland pitching to close the gap. However, Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) came in to finish the game and shut down the Muskies, striking out 10 batters among the 11 outs she recorded.
 
Johnson was also on the mound to open the second game of the doubleheader as she pitched 6 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts to earn the win. Andrea Kelly (Elk Grove, CA/Laguna Creek) came in to earn her first save of the season and close out the seventh inning.
 
While the Cougar pitching kept the Muskies on the line and under control, the Concordia bats started early. In the bottom of the first inning, they put up two runs to take a lead they would not relinquish. Haley Kalinichenko (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon) walked and advanced to third on a Johnson single and the ensuing error, Johnson advancing to second. In the next at bat Jensen grounded out to short plating Kalinichenko and moving Johnson to third. Emmy Vowell (Peotone, IL/H.S.) then singled in Johnson for the second run.
 
Concordia bats were at it again in the bottom of the second as Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) walked to lead off the inning. Salata singled and then Emily Owens (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) sacrificed them to second and third respectively. Kelly walked to load the bases. Kalinichenko then came up to bat again and drew another walk to push a run across the plate. This chased the Lakeland starting pitcher from the game, but did not stop the onslaught as Johnson singled to center field to score two more runs.
 
The game went smoothly till the top of the sixth when the Muskies got their first run. In the top of the seventh Lakeland made a push, but the Cougars held them off for a 5-3 final score.
 
O'Malley-Fisher said, "When we get ahead, we have to learn how to hold it like we did in the second game. We had one inning in the first game with two mental errors and it cost us. The hitting is improved as the girls have been working very hard while we prepared for the weather to turn. The hitting was better, especially as we didn't revert to bad habits under pressure."

Concordia returns to the diamond for another home doubleheader at Melas Park on Sunday versus Marian University. The games are scheduled at 12:00 and 2:00 on what should be a balmy spring day. The Cougars' opening home games in River Forest are scheduled for Monday afternoon.