April 25, 2014 – The Cougar softball team returned to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play as they hosted Benedictine University on Friday in a doubleheader. The first game could have gone either way, but Benedictine finally won by an 8-5 score. The Eagles had full command of game two in a 9-0 win to gain the sweep.
Head Coach
Sarah O'Malley-Fisher said, "It was a tough two games. Now have to regroup and hit the field tomorrow to send off our two seniors,
Amber Mescall (Norridge, IL/Ridgewood) and
Andrea Kelly (Elk Grove, CA/Laguna Creek), the way they deserve. They have been invaluable to the program as players and leaders and will be missed."
In the first game, Benedictine came out of the gate quickly and scored four runs in the first three innings. However, the Cougars came back with two runs in the bottom of the second. It started with
Alicia Salata (Bartlett, IL/Bartlett) being hit by a pitch and
Emmy Vowell (Peotone, IL/Peotone) doubling to center field. With one out, catcher
Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew), who also threw out three runners trying to steal, singled to right field scoring two runs.
In the bottom of the third inning, an epic battle ensued that, while not affecting the scoring, took a toll on BU hurler Melissa Guzior's pitch count.
Emily Owens (Naperville. IL/Neuqua Valley) faced 18 pitches to earn a walk in her leadoff at-bat. She fouled off 14 pitches after two strikes and eventually drew ball four.that she faced.
Owens was at it again in the fourth and, this time, her at-bat did contribute to the scoring. She faced nine pitches before hitting the tenth for a two-run single that gave the Cougars a 4-3 lead. In four plate appearances, she faced 41 of the 143 pitches tossed by Benedictine pitchers.
Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) added to the lead with a leadoff homer in the fifth. The homer was Bochat's second of the season and gave the home team a 5-3 lead.
The Eagles took back game one with two clutch two-out hits over the final two innings. In the sixth, Chelsea White ripped a two-double down the leftfield line to put the visitors in front 6-5. Then, Tori Walzak gave Benedictine some insurance in the seventh with a two-run single that closed out the scoring.
In game two, Benedictine started with five runs in the first inning and added two in the third, one in the fourth and one in the fifth. Eagles' pitcher Holly Haberkorn retired the first 14 Cougars before Vowell singled on a pop-up that fell between Haberkorn and the second baseman. The Cougars put a second runner aboard via an error, but Haberkorn got the third out to end the game on the slaughter rule.
Concordia-Chicago returns to the diamond on Saturday, April 26 for Senior Day against NACC rival Aurora University.
