Milwaukee, Wis. – After a successful 2018 regular season campaign, the Concordia University Chicago Cougars opened the post-season today in Milwaukee for the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament. The Cougars first opponent would be the MSOE Raiders. After leading the conference in homers, O'Malley's Mashers continued the trend today, using three homers to take down MSOE by a final score of 6-2. CUC then faced top seeded Marian University in game two. Trailing 5-4 in the sixth inning, the Cougars were able to put up a five spot and hold on late for the 9-5 win to put them into a semifinal matchup with Benedictine tomorrow.
 
In game one, the Cougars did what they have all season and got out in front first. In the bottom of the first, newly named NACC Position Player of the year Melissa Balkema took an 0-1 pitch deep to left center for her conference leading 12^th homer of the season. After Stefanie D'Anna singled up the middle, Marita Van Dyke got the Cougar faithful standing once again with a opposite field homer of her own to right field to make it 3-0 Cougars.
 
MSOE was able to scratch an unearned run across in the second inning but the Cougars answered in a big way in the third. After a walk and an error put runners on first and second, Van Dyke launched her second long ball of the game to right center making it 6-1 Cougars.

That was plenty of scoring for Van Dyke who picked up her 15^th win of the season inside the circle. The junior allowed just five hits and no earned runs while striking out five. The top three in the order led the day for CUC going a combined 6-8 with six runs scored and six RBI's.
 
In game two of the day, the Cougars faced top seeded Marian University, looking for revenge after falling twice to the Sabres to end the season. Marian was able to strike first, scoring one run on two hits in the first and three runs on three hits in the third to take a 4-0 lead after three.
 
The Cougars fought back though with four runs in the fourth inning. With one out, Shania Phillips started the rally with a single to center. Balkema followed with her second homer of the day on a deep fly ball to center field. Back-to-back singles followed to put two on, and a double steal put two in scoring position. A walk loaded the bases and a single by Allison Kruk was able to pull CUC within one. Kristen Landon then brought home the tying run on a deep sac fly to center.
 
Marian was able to bring an unearned run around to score in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead back, but the Cougars were up to the challenge once again to take the lead back for good in the sixth. After a single and a walk were moved into scoring position by a sac bunt, an RBI groundout by Taylor Kulaszewicz tied the game at five. An error then allowed Landon to come around to score to take the lead. A hit by pitch put two on for D'Anna who reached on an infield single, and raced all the way around to third on a throwing error while CUC extended their lead to 8-5. A final wild pitch allowed D'Anna to score to give the Cougars the 9-5 lead.
 
The four run lead would be enough for Julianne Nation who picked up her tenth win of the season. Nation had to work through a tough situation in the ninth, when the skies opened up and a downpour ensued. With the tying run at the plate, Nation was able to get a soft grounder to third to seal the win. Nation worked the final four innings for CUC, allowing just two hits and no earned runs while striking out two.
 
Van Dyke and Kruk led the offense with three hits each. As a team CUC combined for 12 hits.
 
The Cougars (26-13) now ready for the NACC semi-final matchup with Benedictine tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is set for 3:00pm with the winner heading to the championship series.