MILWAUKEE, WIS. --- After playing 25 innings yesterday, the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) softball team took their talents back to Wisconsin. Facing the Alverno College Inferno, the Cougars picked up a sweep on the day, winning 14-1 in five innings and 7-4.
Game One: 14-1 W (5 inn.)
Inside the Box Score:
- Annabella Archuletta (Pueblo, Colo.) and Haley Gulsby (Englewood, Fla.) both had a perfect three-for-three at the plate, both of them picked up a stolen base as well
- Arissa Santos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) smacked a grand slam, giving her three-for-four performance four RBIs added on
- Eden Pufahl (Laguna Hills, Calif.) picked up the win in the circle with three innings pitched
How It Happened:
- The Cougars started out hot in the first inning, taking a quick 7-0 lead before the Inferno could even go to the plate. This started off with an Archuletta single that scored Emily Garcia (Eastvale, Calif.) and Santos 2-0.
- Alyssa Kontopoulos (Elmhurst, Ill.) continued this action, scoring Archuletta and keeping the ball moving 3-0. Gina Westphal (Elmhurst, Ill.) smacked a double into to center, scoring Katelyn Smith (Chatsworth, Ga.) and making it a 4-0 ball game.
- Gulsby and Garcia would come back around to both pot singles, taking the CUC lead to 7-0 before ending the first inning.
- In the second, Archuletta would pick up another RBI single, scoring Santos to make it an 8-0 lead.
- Alverno would get a runner on in the second, but Jessica Geng (Phoenix, Ariz.) behind the plate would catch her stealing on the next play. Geng continued this momentum the next inning, scoring another Cougar and dragging the lead to 9-0.
- The Inferno would pick up a run in the third, making it 9-1. But a Smith and Melisa Hadzic (Westchester, Ill.) connection would earn that run back 10-1.
- After Gulsby and Geng got on with bunt singles, and Garcia earned herself a hit as well. Santos would hit a bases-clearing grand slam, slapping an exclamation point on the 14-1 lead.
- With the win in sight, Alverno would threaten with runners on. However, Megan Bouska (Plainfield, Ill.) would strike out the last batter, cementing the 14-1 run-rule victory for the Cougars.
Game Two: 7-4 W
Inside the Box Score:
- Garcia would lead the offense in game two, going two-for-three with a double. Santos and Gulsby would both have multi-hit appearances in game two as well
- McKyler Morris (Belvidere, Ill.) shot out her first career home run to get the Cougar scoring started
- Pufahl would earn the win in game two as well, pitching 3.1 innings with a strikeout. Bouska earned a save by coming in to close the final inning of the game
How It Happened:
- Action would be slow until the second, when Morris sent her first long ball of the year, taking a 1-0 lead.
- Alverno would end up taking their first lead of the day in the third. After some timely hitting, the Inferno led 3-1.
- In the fourth, Hadzic would catch two separate runners stealing and make a huge momentum for the Cougars.
- In the fifth, Bouska, Garcia, Santos, and Gulsby would all hit singles to score themselves around. This would bring the Cougars out in front to lead 4-3.
- In the top of the seventh, the Cougars added on to their lead. This was thanks to a Gulsby double and Hadzic sacrifice fly, making the score 7-3.
- Alverno would end up going for the comeback in the seventh, but Bouska would come in and solidify the save. This would give the Cougars the win in game two 7-4 and a sweep on the day.
The Cougars will be back at home on Wednesday as the host Lake Forest College at 3 and 5 p.m. Coverage for all of our sports can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
