Feb. 14, 2016 - There was fresh snow on the ground in Chicago, IL, but a domed facility in Brighton, MI allowed the Concordia-Chicago softball team to open a new season on its earliest date ever. The Cougars took on a pair of opponents and came back home with a 1-1 record,

The Cougars had an early wake-up call on Sunday as they were set to take the field against Albion College at 9 a.m.  Julianne Nation (Oswego, IL/H.S.) made quick work of the Britons in the top of the first. CUC then manufactured the first run in their first at-bat. Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second. D'Anna advanced to third on an infield grounder and scored when Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) got the bunt down. The pitcher's only play was at first base as the Cougars grabbed the 1-0 lead.

Albion pushed across a run in the second to tie the game, but the deadlock lasted only until the bottom of the inning. Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) and Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) led off with doubles, Bochat taking third as Alexander crossed the plate with the go-ahead run. One out later, Bochat raced home on Courtney Pepper's (South Bend, IN/Penn) infield grounder for a 3-1 CUC lead.

The Cougars added to the lead with single runs in the third and fifth. Bochat's single in the third scored D'Anna, who had reached on an error and then stole her second base of the day. The fifth inning run was produced on singles by D'Anna and Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St. Edward) and a pinch-double by freshman Meghan Kendra (Tinley Park, IL/H.S.).

Nation earned the win for the Cougars but not without some excitement in the seventh inning. The Britons pushed across a run in the frame and had two runners on base with just one out. A sacrifice fly got the second run across, but the other runner was caight in a rundown and was tagged for the final out in the Cougars' 5-3 win.

The Cougars were back on the turf 30 minutes later to try and seize win number two against the Cardinals of Concordia University Ann Arbor. The Cardinals had defeated Albion 10-2 in the morning's first game, and they were ready for this game . Ann Arbor jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one inning of play. The Cardinals slugged three homers, the third one leading off the fifth inning and giving CUAA the mercy-rule 8-0 victory. CUC was limited to just three hits, a double by Alexander and singles by D'Anna and Johnson.

Concordia-Chicago will return home to a couple weeks of practice before departing for Florida on March 5 for a 10-game trip.