River Forest, Ill. — The Concordia University Chicago softball team (15-20, 9-13) welcomed the Regents of Rockford University (15-21, 7-15) to River Forest for a doubleheader in the Cougars' last day of play at CUC this season. Concordia was able to come away with a sweep on the day thanks to a dramatic 5-4 walkoff win in game one, and another come from behind win in game two, 5-3. 

Game One
The Cougars started game one off on the right note. After starting pitcher Kallie Tierney (Corona, Calif.) got through the top of the first facing only four batters, CUC leadoff hitter Sydney Sterrett (Lafayette, Ind.) reached base on a single. A passed ball and a groundout from Tegan Oas (Shingle Springs, Calif.) moved Sterrett to third, before junior Becky Pieroni (Montgomery, Ill.) drove in the first run of the day with an RBI sac-fly to center field. 

Rockford was quick to respond in the next inning however. After a pitching change putting Ashley Shroll (Tampa, Fla.) in the circle, the Regents were able to take their first lead of the day thanks to an RBI single. 

It took until the bottom of the third for the Cougars to muster up a response. Shroll led off with a double to center field and moved to third thanks to a Sterrett groundout. Pieroni then knocked her second RBI of the game with a double to center bringing Shroll across home plate, cutting the lead to 3-2. 

Shroll and opposing pitcher Mariah Martinez then engaged in a pitcher's duel, not allowing a run through innings four or five. In the top of the sixth, Rockford was able to tack on an insurance run thanks to an RBI single from catcher Candace Kipp, bumping the score to 4-2. In the bottom of the same inning, Concordia was able to grab a run back after Geng displayed some smart base running and crossed home after Martinez mishandled a throw from her catcher, cutting the Rockford lead back to one. 

After shutting Rockford down in the top of the inning, Shroll then showed off her prowess at the plate, blasting a solo home run past the fence to knot the game up at four. Sterrett was able to reach on an error from the Rockford shortstop, before advancing to second on a Pieroni single. With runners on first and second and two outs, Geng smacked a single to left center, driving in Sterrett, the game winning run, and clinching game one for the Cougars 5-4 in dramatic fashion. 

Inside the Box Score

• Shroll was excellent in relief, throwing for 5.2 innings. She only allowed two, unearned runs while striking out five and earning her fifth win of the year. The freshman also hit her second home run of the year. 

• Geng compiled three hits in the game, including a game-winning walk-off single. 

• Pieroni collected two hits as well as a pair of RBIs. 

• Hailey Howard (Machesney Park, Ill.) had two hits.

Game Two
Now with senior Holly Bathje in the circle, the Cougars once again struck first in game two. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Pieroni blasted homerun number eight past the left field wall to give CUC a 1-0 lead. 

Things were going smoothly for Bathje until the third inning, when an Emily Cox double drove in two runs for Rockford, giving them a 2-1 lead over Concordia. However, the Cougars quickly tied things up in the bottom frame of the inning. Oas knocked a stand-up triple into deep right field to get things going and scored on a Pieroni single to tie the game. 

Rockford retook the lead shortly after in the top of the fourth. After reaching second on a double to center field, Brianna Collins scored the third Rockford run of the day because of a Callahan double. 

Now trailing the Regents 3-2, the Cougar bats got to work in the bottom of the fourth. Carole Ross (Whittier, Calif.) led off with a single through the left side, before advancing to second on a sac-bunt from Sydney Paulauskis-Lauher (Chatham, Ill.). Two batters later, Sterrett hit a single, moving Ross to third. Sterrett would then steal second. With two runners in scoring position, Oas collected her second hit of the day with some help from the second base bag, driving in both Ross and Sterrett and giving the Cougars a 4-3 lead. 

Concordia was able to add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after Howard drove in Pieroni with a single to right field. Kate Roberts (Pontiac, Ill.) then shut things down in the seventh, earning her first save of the year after replacing Bathje with runners in the corners, securing the 5-3 victory for CUC in their final home contest of the season. 

Inside the Box Score

• Oas collected three hits, two RBIs, and one run.

• Pieroni went a perfect 4-4 at the plate, driving in two runs and scoring two of her own.

• Howard had another multi-hit game, adding three hits and one RBI to her day total. 

• Bathje nearly went the distance, throwing 107 pitches over six innings. She allowed three earned runs and struck out two. This was win number seven for Bathje this season.

The Cougars conclude their 2022 season Monday, as the team travels up to Milwaukee to take on Alverno College in a doubleheader. Game one is slated for a 3pm start time, and coverage for that game as well as all CUC athletics can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.