Fond du Lac, Wis.—After splitting a pair of non-conference games yesterday, the Concordia Chicago Softball team hit the road for their second NACC series of the year today. CUC headed north for a rescheduled series to take on the defending NACC co-champion Marian University Sabres. The Cougars struggled to get anything going offensively in game one, falling by a score of 5-0. CUC then had to fight back in game two. They scored six runs over the last three innings to battle back from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Marian 7-6 to split the series.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Marita Van Dyke, Abbey Sloan and Sydney Sterrett all had three hits on the day.
• Shania Phillips had the go-ahead double in game two.
• Van Dyke took the tough loss in game one. She worked all six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits.
• Holly Bathje picked up the win in game two. She worked all seven, allowing six runs on 13 hits while striking out eight.

Game One: L, 5-0
CUC looked to get things going right away in game one. Melissa Balkema led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt. A Van Dyke single looked like it would score Balkema, but a close play at the plate went Marian's way to prevent CUC from getting on the board.
 
Marian broke through in the second. They were able to manufacture a run across with a leadoff single scoring on a throwing error.
 
The Sabres made it 3-0 in the third. They were able to bring two across on one hit and two errors in the inning. Marian then made it 5-0 with a two run homer to left in the bottom of the fifth.
 
CUC was unable to get any more offense going, falling 5-0 in game one.
 
Game Two: W, 7-6
Marian rode the momentum into a big first inning of game two. They brought five runs across on five hits in the inning, including a three run homer to left center.
 
CUC got a single run back in the top of the second. Sterrett reached on an infield single. Sydney Getz followed with a sharp single through the right side. A sac bunt put two in scoring position and a fielder's choice allowed Sterrett to score.
 
CUC got back within one in the fifth. Balkema led off the inning with a double to left. Sloan followed with a bunt single, and an error allowed Balkema to score. Van Dyke kept things going by driving a full count pitch into left center for a double. Sydney Paulauskis-Lauher then singled up the middle to pull CUC within 5-3. Van Dyke was able to score later in the inning when Marian had to throw down to first to secure a strikeout which pulled CUC back within 5-4.
 
Marian answered by scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth. Bathje kept CUC in it though by working through a bases loaded no out situation by getting an infield fly and two strikeouts to keep it a 6-5 game.
 
CUC completed the comeback in the seventh. Van Dyke led off the inning with a single up the middle. One out later Sterrett singled to put two on. After a popup was caught for the second out of the inning, Kristen Landon singled up the middle on the firsts pitch of the at bat to pull CUC within one. Phillips then delivered the big swing on an 0-0 pitch into center field scoring Sterrett and Landon to pull the Cougars in front 7-6.
 
Bathje then worked in and out of trouble of the seventh, working around back-to-back two out hits to secure the 7-6 win and the split for CUC.
 
The Cougars (10-6; 2-2 NACC) will be back in action with a single non-conference matchup on Friday afternoon with a single contest against North Central. Opening pitch is set for 4:00pm from Naperville.