March 7, 2015 – On their final day of games, the Concordia-Chicago Cougars relished the chance to play in unseasonably cool 63-degree Florida weather before returning to the frigid Midwest. The Cougars had a Saturday doubleheader against an NCAA Division II team in Bloomfield College (NJ) and produced a memorable nightcap under the lights. Unfortunately, the Cougars wound up on the short end of 2-0 and 7-6 scores.
 
Game 1
 
In the first game of the doubleheader, Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) pitched a good game, but it came against a Bloomfield College pitcher that carried a no-hitter into the top of the seventh inning. Johnson and the Cougars' defense held the Bears to two runs that both came in the fourth inning.
 
An example of great defense was the final out of the fifth inning as Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) retreated at first base and made a leaping save of a ball that was at least 7 1/2 feet off the ground. Those plays kept it close all game against the Bears. The lone hit for the Cougars came off the bat of Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) in the top of the seventh, but she did not have any help as CUC lost 2-0.
 
Game 2 vs Bloomfield
 
The second game began under the lights, and it did not begin well for CUC. Bloomfield scored four runs in the top of the first inning and appeared they were going to run away with the game. However, in the bottom of the first Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) and Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St Edward) both singled to start the inning and a sacrifice by Bochat scored D'Ana to make it 4-1 after the first.
 
In the top of the 2^nd the Bears added another run, but the Cougars responded in the third as D'Ana singled and was brought home on a Jenni Jensen (Chicago, IL/Luther North) single. An amazing diving catch by Adrianna Cura (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield South) at third base ended the fourth inning. Bloomfield scored two more in the fifth on two hits and two CUC errors and again had a commanding lead at 7-2.
 
The team did not give up and in the bottom of the fifth, D'Anna sparked another scoring sequence with a single to left. Kruk got a bunt single and legged it out with a superb burst of speed, and Jensen singled to left to load the bases with one out. Bochat continued the pressure with a single to left scoring D'Anna and keeping the bases loaded. Johnson then doubled to right field scoring two runners. Cura sacrificed to the pitcher scoring Bochat, and the Cougars were back in business with a 7-6 scoreline.
 
The top of the seventh inning was a bit scary for the Cougars, but Courtney Pepper (South Bend, IN/Penn) was able to get out of the jam with no runs added. In the bottom of the seventh, Jensen doubled and made it to third base on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, the team couldn't get her across the plate, and the final score remained 7-6 in favor of the Bloomfield Bears.
 
The Cougars have completed the spring training schedule. The next set of games will be Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheaders on Saturday, March 28 at Lakeland Collegein Sheboygan, WI and Sunday, March 29 at Marian University in Fond du Lac, WI.