Milwaukee, Wisconsin- With the push for the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Softball playoffs in full swing, the Concordia-Chicago Cougars took to the field today against the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors. Scoring proved to be hard to come by all day, as the winds shifted just an inning into the first game to blowing straight in. The Cougars led in all but three innings all day long, but were unable to put the finishing touches on game one, falling 6-5 in the seventh. They then recovered behind a stellar pitching performance by Julianne Nation, battling out a 1-0 game two win to salvage the split.
 
In game one, Cougar starting pitcher Marita Van Dyke came out sharp early commanding the plate. She then was spotted runs in the third and fourth innings. In the third, an Emily Owens single got the offense started, she was then brought all the way around to score when Michele Alexander drew a full count walk to make it 1-0 CUC.
 
CUC then added four more in the top half of the fourth, all with two outs. The two-out rally started with a single by Katie Sullivan to center field. Owens followed with her second hit of the game, a single to center as well. An error on a sharply hit ball by Megan Strong allowed Sullivan to score and Owens to move to third. Melissa Balkema then laced a single to left to keep things rolling, scoring Owens. The final two tallies came when Stefanie D'Anna reached on an infield single and the throw to first sailed down the right field line, allowing both Balkema and Strong to score making it 5-0 CUC.
 
Wisconsin Lutheran quickly battled back with a four spot of their own in the bottom half. The first four Warrior batters all reached base for WLC, forcing CUC to bring in Courtney Pepper with the score 5-3 CUC. WLC plated the final run of the inning on a second double to left center, swinging momentum in their favor down just 5-4.
 
The two teams remained scoreless over the next few innings, with both teams stranding opportunities to plate runners in scoring position. Unfortunately for CUC, WLC was able to get things going just enough in the seventh. With two outs in the inning, two Cougar errors allowed the tying and winning runs to cross, as CUC fell in game one 6-5.
 
In game two, one first inning run proved to be enough for CUC. With one out D'Anna reached on an infield single. One out later with D'Anna on second, Van Dyke lined a single to left field. D'Anna turned on her speed, racing around to score from second just before the throw in from left.
 
From there it was all Nation. The junior put together arguably her best outing of 2017, going six and two thirds innings, allowing just five hits. The defense was equally as impressive behind her, battling tough winds to make all the necessary plays. Van Dyke got the final out for CUC with the tying run on base in the game, inducing a harmless popup to secure the shutout 1-0 victory.
 
 
The Cougars (21-13, 11-7 NACC) will return to action when they close out their non-conference schedule on Wednesday at Carthage. First pitch is set for 3:00pm from Kenosha, Wisconsin.