April 8, 2017- Looking to rebound after a tough opening weekend of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play the Concordia University Chicago Cougar Softball team started the final stretch of their long eight game road trip in Plymouth Wisconsin this afternoon. The Cougars stole the show all day long, using a three run first inning in game one, along with a shutout pitching performance by Marita Van Dyke for the 6-0 game one win. They then used a five run first inning in game two to propel themselves an 11-5 win over the Lakeland Muskies.

"Those are two big wins for us today," remarked head coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher. "From the opening pitch our girls were locked in and ready to go."
 
In game one, the Cougars were dialed in from the opening pitch. With one out, Stefanie D'Anna singled up the middle on a 1-0 pitch. This started a string of six straight Cougar hitters to reach base. Michele Alexander singled on a bunt, followed by another bunt single by Allison Kruk to load the bases. Van Dyke helped herself out, drawing a full count ten pitch walk to bring the first run home. Courtney Pepper then made it 3-0 Cougars with a two RBI single to right center. The Cougars threatened for further runs in the inning, but were unable to score.

Fortunately for CUC three runs were more than enough for Van Dyke in the game. The sophomore pitched a gem for the Cougars, picking up her eighth win of the season. This win was in shutout fashion, allowing just four hits while striking out five. The Cougars did add extra runs for good measure in the seventh. A hit by pitch and an error put the first two batters of the inning aboard for Alexander. She then laced a ball off of the center field wall that plated one. Back-to-back sac flies by Kruk and Van Dyke allowed two more runs to score, leading to the 6-0 game one final.

"Marita was near perfect," said O'Malley-Fisher. "When she has her stuff working like that she can be one of the best in the conference. When we get pitching like that along with the timely hitting, we are tough to beat."

In game two, the Cougars got off in a big way with a crooked number in their first at bat. The first six batters all reached for CUC before an out was recorded. Infield singles by Balkema and D'Anna started things off. A Lakeland error loaded the bases, and a wild pitch scored the first run. A soft ground ball to the Muskies first basemen brought a throw to the plate to try and get the Cougars trying to score, but it was late. The next two runs came much easier for CUC when Van Dyke continued her big day with a double to left center scoring both Kruk and Alexander. Van Dyke came around to touch home for the fifth Cougar run of the inning when a hot shot by Sydney Getz was unable to be handled, and then the ensuing throw got away.

Lakeland fought back in the bottom half with a two run homerun to left, but CUC quickly stole momentum back with two runs in the top of the second. Back-to-back doubles by Balkema and D'Anna plated one run, and a Van Dyke single to right center on a 2-1 pitch pushed the Cougar lead back to five. The Cougars then extended the lead with two more in the top of the third. CUC plated the runs with aggressive base running, which caused Lakeland errors. Both of the runs were unearned, but the Cougar lead ballooned to 9-2.

The Muskies chipped away again with a single run in the third, and two runs in the fourth to pull within 9-5. A strong relief effort by Julianne Nation shut down the Muskie hitters over the past two and two thirds innings. The Cougar offense then added more insurance in the seventh. Singles by D'Anna and Alexander put runners on second and third with one out for Van Dyke. She picked up RBI's four and five of the game, ripping a double to right field putting the closing note on the 11-5 game two win.

"That was a great effort offensively," said O'Malley-Fisher. Getting that level of production from our offense is what we look for. Our girls did a lot of work to get ready at the plate and it paid off in a big way."

In total, the Cougars complied 17 hits in the game two. The top part of the lineup was unstoppable in the game, going a combined 14-24 at the plate. Van Dyke drove in a team high five runs on the game, while Balkema went 4-5 with three runs scored.
 
The Cougars (12-9, 3-3 NACC) look to build off the total team performance today when they take to the field tomorrow in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin against Marian University. First pitch is set for 12:00pm.