April 30, 2016 - The regular season for the Concordia University Chicago Cougar softball team has been full of ups and downs, the 9-0 spring trip and a new school win record a few of the many highlights. Today, the Cougars would have a chance to set another record, needing a single win to clinch a spot in the NACC tournament for the second straight year. This has never been done before in CUC history. The Concordia Wisconsin Falcons prevented the Cougars from clinching today, taking CUC down by scores of 8-3 and 3-2. CUC is still alive, and will play the waiting game now to see the results of a NACC doubleheader between Aurora and Wisconsin Lutheran College on Sunday.

In game one, CUC rode the confidence from yesterday with the bats to an early lead. Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) led off with an infield single. After a CUW error and with one out, Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) lined a single back up the middle, scoring Melissa Balkema (Saint John, IN/Hanover Central) from second. CUC loaded the bases after a single by Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew), but an unfortunate double play ended the Cougar threat.

CUW answered in the bottom half with two runs (one earned) on two hits to take the 2-1 lead after one. CUC continued to fight with runs in the third and fourth. Balkema led off with a single to right field in the third and was brought around to score on a Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) double down the right field line to knot the score. In the fourth, CUC would take the lead, as Kristina Morsovillo (Earlville, IL/H.S.) led off with a double off the center field wall. Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St. Edward) beat out a close throw for an infield single to put runners at the corners and no one out. D'Anna got credit for the RBI when Morsovillo scored on the groundout to short, giving CUC the 3-2 lead.

CUW didn't let the lead last for long. The Falcons loaded the bases with no one out. A single tied the game at three, a walk and a three-run homer capped off the six-run inning for the Falcons to give them the lead for good.  CUC outhit CUW in game one 10-5 but left nine runners on base. Every Cougar starter had a hit in game one, led by Bochat with two.

Game two was fast paced, played in a steady rain in Mequon. CUC scored first in the top of the third. With two outs, Balkema drew a walk. A CUW error continued the inning and allowed Bochat to single up the middle to score Balkema from second. In the top of the fifth, it was the combination of Balkema and Bochat again to score. Balkema led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Bochat would then send a ball into the outfield deep enough to allow Balkema to tag and score to make it 2-0 CUC.

CUW put the pressure on in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead. With two outs, a single cut the lead in half. Two throwing errors allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score without a swing of the bat to give the Falcons the 3-2 lead.

The Cougars were looking for late inning magic in the seventh. CUC loaded the bases with just one out. CUW cut one runner down at the plate on a fielder's choice, and a harmless groundout to second base ended the threat.

CUC again outhit CUW in game two 9-3. Bochat led the way with two hits and two RBI's. Balkema had two hits as well scoring two runs. The unfortunate losing pitcher Marita Van Dyke (Brownsburg, IN/Tri-West) tried to help her cause as well with two hits.

The Cougars (24-13 12-10 NACC) wait to see the results tomorrow between Wisconsin Lutheran and Aurora to see if they will be making the postseason. CUC needs Aurora to win one or both of the games to make the tournament. If that does happen, CUC would be the sixth seed in the NACC tournament and play on Thursday against the third seed at 10:00 a.m in Milwaukee.