April 24, 2015 – The Concordia-Chicago softball team returned to conference action on Friday night as they played Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. The host Eagles prevailed in both ends of the doubleheader, winning 9-0 in game one and 7-4 in game two to sweep the Cougars.
 
In game one, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead as they batted through the order for a 6-0 lead before the first out was recorded. The first inning finished 9-0 Eagles, although the Cougars' pitching and fielding improved to hold Benedictine scoreless for the rest of the game.
 
CUC got runners aboard in the game but not across the plate. The Cougars' best chance came in the fourth as they loaded the bases but to no avail. The game ended on the run rule after five innings.
 
In game two, CUC jumped out to the quick lead themselves in the top of the first. Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) singled to lead off the inning and stole second base. Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St Edward) walked and Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) sacrificed them to second and third for Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) to bring in a run, 1-0 Cougars. However, Benedictine struck for three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead.
 
The teams were scoreless for the next three innings as defense took hold. CUC made two plays at the plate, one with Kruk hitting the cutoff, Adriana Cura (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield South), at short who fired home to catcher Emily Owens (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) for the tag. The second notable outfield play came two innings later as centerfielder Hannah Solyom (Lombard, IL/Walther) fired home to catcher Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) for the tag.
 
Benedictine added one in the bottom of the fifth and three in the sixth. CUC loaded the bases in the top of the sixth and Cura was hit by a pitch to bring home Bochat for a run and keep the bases loaded. Unfortunately, they were not able to plate further runs in the inning. In the top of the seventh, Johnson walked with two outs. Bochat doubled and advanced to third on an error scoring Johnson. After a pitching change, Alexander doubled to score Bochat, but that was as close as it got. The final score was 7-4 Eagles in game two.
 
Following a rain day on Saturday, the Cougars travel to conference foe Aurora University on Sunday. The contests are scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m. at the Stuart Sports Complex in Aurora.