April 13, 2016 - Whenever rivals meet in any sport, it doesn't matter what the records or stats say, it is always a good game. Tonight, the Division Street rivalry would continue between the Concordia University Chicago Cougars and the Dominican University Stars. CUC got the best of the Stars in the regular season last year, but the Stars got the best of the Cougars when they met in the NACC tournament. Played under the lights at The Ballpark at Rosemont, the Stars took advantage of two unearned runs and won game one 2-1 despite getting outhit by CUC 9-2. CUC jumped out to leads on two separate occasions in game two, but the Stars had all the answers on this evening, using a six-run sixth to take game two 9-4.

CUC had their chances in game one but came up short. Courtney Pepper (South Bend, IN/Penn) would take to the pitching circle for CUC and pitch well. The game was scoreless into the third where the Stars took advantage of a misplayed flyball to score two runs on two hits. CUC had many opportunities to answer back in the game but could not take advantage. The Cougars stranded runners on base in every inning, including the bases loaded in the top of the fourth.

Alicia Salata (Bartlett, IL/H.S.) came on in relief of Pepper and pitched three perfect innings. CUC scored their only run in the top half of the sixth. Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) singled through the left side to start the inning. Emily Owens (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Owens moved up 60 feet when Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St. Edward) singled up the middle. Owens then scored when Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) singled to left, just out of the reach of the sliding left fielder to make it 2-1 Stars. CUC put the tying run aboard in the seventh but was unable to advance the runner past first base.

The Cougars outhit the Stars 9-2 on the game. D'Anna, Alexander, and Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) all had multi-hit games. The Achilles' heel for CUC in game one proved to be the 11 total runners stranded on base. 

Game two was played fully under the lights on this cool April night. CUC looked to rebound with a quick run in the top of the first. D'Anna led off with an infield single. She advanced 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Bochat stepped up with a single back up the middle, scoring D'Anna for the early 1-0 lead. However, the Stars answered in the bottom half. They put up three runs in the inning on three hits, but the real dagger in the inning would be two Cougar errors extending the inning.

Dominican looked to put their foot on the gas again in the bottom of the second. The first two batters reached with singles. CUC head coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher then went to Marita Van Dyke (Brownsburg, IN/Tri-West) in relief. Van Dyke met the challenge and stranded the runners on second and third. CUC got a single run back in the third. D'Anna led off the inning with a line drive shot through the left-center gap. She scored two pitches later on a groundout to make it 3-2 Stars. 

The Cougars struck again with a big top half of the fifth. D'Anna led off with an infield single. Melissa Balkema (Saint John, IN/Hanover Central) followed by ripping the first pitch she saw over the centerfielder's head for a triple. Balkema then came home when Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IN/Glenbard West) lined a shot through the right side for the third straight CUC hit, making it 4-3 Cougars.

The Stars did not go away quietly though. In the bottom of the sixth, a solo homerun and three straight singles gave Dominican the lead back. The Stars continued to pour it on in the inning putting, up six runs to make it 9-4 heading to the seventh. CUC was retired in the seventh, securing the sweep for Dominican. Bochat and D'Anna led the offensive attack again, each with multiple hits in game two. 

The Cougars (14-7 3-5 NACC) will continue their busy week on Saturday when they hit the road to take on the the Edgewood College Eagles. First pitch of the NACC doubleheader is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. from Verona, WI.