April 21, 2014 – The Cougar softball team traveled to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference rival Concordia University Wisconsin on Monday and played a pair of low-scoring contests. The first game was a tough 0-2 loss. However, the Cougars brought the Falcons down to earth with a 4-0 rain-delayed victory in game two.
 
Head Coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher said after the games, "The big difference between the two games was hitting. We did not make adjustments well to hit the CUW pitcher in the first game. In the second game we were able to make those adjustments. This was another series that was a tale of two games with our pitchers in both games pitching well enough to win."
 
In the first game, Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) was in the circle. She pitched a complete game with three hits, five strikeouts and two walks. Unfortunately, the one error by Cougar fielders was integral in the two CUW runs.
 
The two teams raced to get the games in around the rainy weather. The first game turned into a pitcher's duel as the two pitchers only allowed four hits and three walks between them. Defense from the Cougars contributed to the low scoring game. The plays started early with a great diving catch by Emmy Vowell (Peotone, IL/Peotone) for the second out of the first inning. Another great play came in the third inning, a strikeout by Johnson and catcher Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) throwing a strike of her own to second base for the unconventional double play. In the sixth inning, the final out was a tremendous diving belly slide by Andrea Kelly (Elk Grove, CA/Laguna Creek) in leftfield.
 
In a tight game the slightest change in momentum can determine the outcome. In the bottom of the fifth inning, a two-out error helped two runs to score for CUW. The final score was 2-0 in game one.
 
In game two, Kelly started in the circle. She pitched a complete game three-hitter with six strikeouts and three walks to earn her second consecutive victory. Kelly allowed all three CUW hits in the second inning but escaped with no runs crossing the plate.
 
Kelly's teammates gave her some encouragement in the form of run support in the top of the third. After Alexander earned a leadoff walk she was doubled home by Emily Owens (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley). The following inning, Jenni Jensen (Chicago, IL/Luther North) reached on a fielder's choice and was moved to second by Vowell's single. Jensen stole third base and was brought home by Alicia Salata (Bartlett, IL/Bartlett). In the top of the fifth, Kelly helped herself by singling to leadoff the inning. She eventually reached third base where a groundout by Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) brought her home making it 3-0 to the Cougars.
 
The defense in this game was stellar as well. As the Falcons went out in order in the bottom of the fifth inning, the final out was an amazing catch by Jensen as she dove behind third base. In the top of the sixth with Salata on base and one out, the two teams endured a one hour, seven minutes rain delay that pushed the game towards darkness as it resumed.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, the Cougars added an insurance run as Vowell singled to the centerfield fence, driving in Bochat. The defense continued to shine in CUW's final at-bat as Vowell turned a double play by snagging a line drive in the hole at second and then alertly catching the runner off first base. The game ended on a line drive to Jensen at short, giving the Cougars a split on the day.
 
Concordia-Chicago (10-20, 7-11 NACC) returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 23. They play a weather related makeup doubleheader against nonconference opponent Carthage College in Kenosha.