March 26, 2017 - Looking to build off of their sweep of North Park on Friday night, the Concordia-Chicago Cougar softball team took to the road for two games at the Ballpark at Rosemont. CUC came in swinging hot bats, and that continued in game one. They pounded out ten hits against the University of Wisconsin-Stout en route to a 10-0 win. In game two against Elmhurst, the bats didn't miss a beat in recording 14 hits and scoring in the first five innings, leading to the 9-7 victory over the Bluejays.
 
"Those were two good wins against two good opponents," remarked head coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher following the games. "We put together a near-complete effort today from top to bottom. We showed everyone and, more importantly ourselves today how good of a team we can be when we come ready from the first pitch."
 
In game one, Stefanie D'Anna drew a one-out walk to get the offense started. Back-to-back doubles by Michele Alexander and Allison Kruk put the first two runs on the board for CUC. The Cougars continued to put their offense into high gear in the second inning. A leadoff single by Sydney Getz started things off. After three walks brought one run across for CUC, the bases were still loaded for Kruk. She cleared the bases, ripping an 0-1 pitch over the left fielder's head pushing the Cougar lead to six. Marita Van Dyke brought her home on the next pitch with a single to center, making it 7-0 CUC after just two innings.
 
Van Dyke continued to shut down UW-Stout inside the circle, getting the hot bats back up to the plate. CUC continued to put pressure on the Blue Devils with three more runs in the third. A single by Katie Sullivan put a runner on with one away. One out later, Melissa Balkema tripled to left field, scoring Megan Strong who was on second base. Balkema scored on the next pitch as D'Anna legged out an infield single. Alexander then blasted her second double of the day to dead center, making it 10-0 CUC as D'Anna raced around from first to score.
 
Van Dyke did all the work for CUC inside the circle. She picked up her sixth win of the season, giving up just three hits while striking out five. Seven Cougars recorded hits in the game, led by the three and four hitters Alexander and Kruk who combined went 5-6, driving in seven runs.
 
"That was a complete game," said O'Malley-Fisher following the game. "Allison and Michele did a fantastic job in the 3-4 spots in the order, and then again we got great pitching from Marita. We came out from the first pitch ready to play, and when we do that we are very dangerous."
 
In game two, the Cougars were able to push a run across in the trips to the plate. With one out, D'Anna doubled to center. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, and later scored on a RBI groundout by Alexander for the early 1-0 lead. The Cougars then added on two more in the second. The first came off the bat of Van Dyke with a solo shot over the left center fence. CUC then made it 3-0 when Madison Knoblauch looped a single into right center, scoring Kristen Landon from second.  
 
Elmhurst brought their first run of the game across in the bottom of the second, but the Cougars wasted no time answering back. D'Anna led off with a slapped single up the middle followed by an Alexander full count walk. One out later with runners on second and third, Van Dyke ripped her second hit of the game in the left center gap bringing the two runners around to score making it 5-1 CUC.
 
CUC continued to impress at the plate on the day adding another run in the fourth. Balkema doubled to left center with two outs, and then was brought home on a single by D'Anna with a single through the right side. The Cougars weren't content there though adding three more in the fifth. After a Kruk walk and a Van Dyke double, Knoblauch singled home Kruk, advancing to second on the throw. Then Strong brought two home with a single that never left the infield. Good hustle all the way around was rewarded with the scoreboard showing CUC leading 9-1.
 
Julianne Nation pitched a solid game for CUC allowing just one run over the first four, but ran into issues in the fifth, where Elmhurst scored four to cut the CUC lead to 9-5. Van Dyke came in and worked through a few jams to preserve the 9-7 win, the Cougars' fourth straight.
 
"Today was a good day for us," said O'Malley-Fisher. "We were good in a lot of different areas today. Julianne was good in the circle, and our bats came ready to go. We now need to build off of today and continue to improve and grow."
 
The Cougars (9-5) will finally return home this Thursday for the home opener. CUC is set to take on North Central College with first pitch set for 3:00pm from River Forest.