May 6, 2016 - The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference playoffs continued today in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As far as elimination matchups go, the Concordia University Chicago Cougars could not have asked for a more familiar opponent. They would take on the Dominican University Stars, renewing the long standing Division Street rivalry. This time, each team was playing with their respective seasons on the line. Concordia-Chicago head coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher tweaked the lineup for today's matchup and the team responded. CUC pounded out 13 hits and seven runs with every one of them necessary to hold on to the 7-6 victory that enabled them to survive and advance.  

The Cougars struck first in the top half of the second. Allie Bochat (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) led off with a line single to left. With one out, a loop single down the right field line by Michele Alexander (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) allowed Bochat to race into third. With runners at the corners, Sydney Getz (St. Joseph, MI/H.S.) took the first pitch into left field, scoring Bochat from third. The left fielder bobbled the ball enough, allowing Alexander to advance to third and Getz to second.  One out later in a 2-2 count, Stefanie D'Anna (LaGrange Park, IL/Lyons Township) hit a line drive triple to dead center right through the Dominican shift, scoring two. CUC continued in the inning when Allison Kruk (Elgin, IL/St. Edward) laced the first pitch of her at-bat off the base of the right field wall to make it 4-0 CUC. The barrage of hits for CUC chased the Stars ace Sydney Kuderna after just an inning and two-thirds.

The Stars quickly tried to answer in the bottom of the second. Marita Van Dyke (Brownsburg, IN/Tri-West) got her second straight start inside the circle for CUC. A single to right field would sneak under the Cougars' glove to put a leadoff runner at second. A second straight error put runners at the corners with no one out. CUC escaped the jam giving up just one run on a sacrifice fly to left, making it 4-1 CUC after two.

CUC continued to put pressure on the Stars in the third. Back-to-back singles by Bochat and Van Dyke got the inning started. Alexander followed with a walk to load the bases with no one out. The Cougar offense stalled momentarily when the Stars induced a popup and a groundout to keep the bases loaded. Recently named first-team All-NACC D'Anna delivered the run to keep the Cougar momentum with a slapped single on a 3-1 pitch through the left side, giving CUC the 5-1 advantage.

The Cougars got a big shutdown inning from Van Dyke in the bottom of the third. The two rivals traded zeroes in the fourth. CUC added a big insurance run in the fifth. With one out, freshman Getz put a charge into a 1-0 pitch, a no-doubt bomb to right center. It was no better time for the first of Getz's career to give CUC the 6-1 lead. Van Dyke followed by shutting down the Stars in order in the bottom half.

Both teams picked up runs in the sixth. In the Cougar half with two outs, Meghan Johnson (Glendale Heights, IL/Glenbard West) hammered a ball back up the middle for a single. A wild pitch advanced her to second, and Bochat continued her hot day with a single through the right side to put runners at the corners. Van Dyke helped herself with an infield single that plated Johnson to extend the CUC lead. Dominican responed with an unearned run in the bottom half to make it 7-2 CUC after six.

Dominican did not go quietly. The first two runners reached before a pitching change for CUC would bring in senior Alicia Salata (Bartlett, IL/H.S.) to try and close the game. Dominican continued to string together hits, even with two out. A hit to center scored the runs to get Dominican within one. As CUC was walking back to the mound, the Stars tried to catch CUC napping and send the tying run home. CUC picked their heads up just in time, as a throw home would begin a three-throw rundown that finally cut down the tying run trying to score to seal the victory. 

CUC responded to the lineup changes, pounding out 13 hits in the game. D'Anna and Bochat led the Cougar attack with three hits apiece. Getz provided a big offensive boost with two hits, and the big solo homerun. Van Dyke gutted out six stellar innings allowing just two earned runs. 

The Cougars (25-14) continue their playoff run immediately following this contest. They are matched up with their first-round opponent Benedictine University with the winner moving on to Championship Saturday