March 10, 2016 - The 2016 Concordia University Chicago softball team set many goals to begin this season. The first of those was to get off to a good start on their annual spring break trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida. Those goals are well far past, as the Cougars put on an all-around superb display of softball in doubleheader action this afternoon. In total, CUC scored 28 runs on 40 hits, allow zero runs on seven hits, and not commit an error. In turn, CUC dominated the day, beating Delaware Valley 8-0 in six innings, and Penn State Beaver 20-0 in five innings in game two.

An early start time for game one today saw the first pitch get thrown to Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) at 8:00 a.m eastern time. She lay down a perfect bunt for a hit to get things started. D;Anna was advanced on a sac bunt. A wild pitch and a passed ball later, she would score for the early 1-0 lead.

Courtney Pepepr (South Bend, IN/Penn) would take to the circle for CUC in game one. She exhibited control of all of her pitches and used her ability to mix speeds exquisitely to keep the Delaware Valley hitters off-balance. She would go the distance in the game, allowing just two hits and facing just three batters over the minimum.

CUC was back at it again in the second to put distance between them and Delaware Valley. With two outs in the inning,.Kristina Morsovillo (Earlville, IL/H.S.) singled to left. Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St. Edward) reached on an error on a bunt attempt. D'Anna singled, scoring both Morsovillo and Kruk. Melissa Balkema (Saint John, IN/Hanover Central) reached on the second error of the inning and then promptly stole second. D'Anna scored on the steal attempt when the catcher's throw went awry Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) singled up the middle for the final run mof the inning, making the score CUC 5-0 after two.

Both teams would be held scoreless untill the fifth. CUC scored one in the fifth. Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) reached on an error and Megan Strong (Bartlett, IL/St. Edward) was walked. Emily Owens (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) singled up the middle to score Alexander from second, making it 6-0 CUC. The Cougars got their final two needed runs to complete the slaughter rule in the sixth. D'Anna singled on a bunt. Johnson singled for the second time in the game advancing D'Anna, who then stole third. Alexander singled down the rightfield line to score both D'Anna and Johnson to finish the game 8-0.

Game two would be all Cougars before an out would even be recorded. D'Anna would continue her hot day with a slapped single into left center. Kruk, batting in the two spot, followed with a single. Johnson doubled to left-center, giving CUC the 2-0 lead. Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) singled up the middle for the fourth straight hit, and Johnson scored on an error on the play. Marita Van Dyke (Brownsburg, IN/Tri-West) reached base, and Alicia Salate (Bartlett, IL/H.S.) singled to load the bases. Sydney Getz (St. Joseph, MI/H.S.) would be hit by a pitch to force home a run. Pepper also reached base to complete the first rotation in the order without making an out. CUC continued to bat in the inning with the second time around the batting order highlighted by a Van Dyke homerun, her first of the year, an opposite field home run to left field. CUC would be in control 12-0 in total after one-half inning.

Julianne Nation (Oswego, IL/H.S.) took the circle for game two for CUC. She would piggyback off Pepper's performance in going the distance, allowing just five hits in the game while striking out two in the shutout performance to improve to 3-0 overall.

CUC did not settle on 12 runs. They plated four more runs in the second. Getz walked to begin the second. After a strikeout, D'Anna singled, followed by a Kruk RBI double. Johnson would follow with a single up the middle, scoring two. Bochat singled for the fourth straight Cougar hit. Van Dyke drove home the fourth run of the inning on a fielders choice.

The final Cougar tallies came in the top of the fourth. With one out, Bochat ripped her third hit of the game, a double to right field. Van Dyke singled her home in the next at-bat. Balkema singled home Van Dyke who had advanced to third during the at-bat. Strong was walked, followed by a Getz single to load the bases. Pepper singled to left to score another run, and. D'Anna would single to left to drive in the Cougar's final run of the game.

After today's victories CUC's record now stands at 8-1 and the win streak at seven. During the winning streak, the Cougars have outscored their opponents 72-6 since arriving in Florida. They will conclude their Florida trip, looking for the full-week sweep on Saturday morning with a doubleheader against Judson University before heading back to Chicago Sunday morning.