ROCKFORD, ILL.- The Concordia University Chicago softball team picked up their fourth series sweep after taking down the Rockford University Regents in extra innings. The Cougars boost their overall record to 17-9 while improving their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) record to 10-2. 

GAME ONE: 9-3 W
INSIDE THE BOX

• McKyler Morris (Belvidere, Ill.) went three-for-four at the plate with three RBIs and two runs. Morris collected a single, double, and triple in the game. 
• Emily Garcia (Eastvale, Calif.) also went three-for-four at the plate while collecting two runs. Garcia also collected a single, double, and triple in the game. 
• Megan Bouska (Plainfield, Ill.) picked up her fifth win on the season throwing 4.2 innings while giving up no runs and picking up four strikeouts in her 18 batters faced. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Garcia kicked things off in the first at bat of the day with a leadoff triple. An error from the Regents would allow her to score on that play and put the Cougars ahead 1-0 right off the bat. With a runner on second, a double from Morris would score another and close the top of the first with a CUC 2-0 lead.
• Despite the Regents collecting two hits in their half of the inning, the Cougars would hold runners and head back to their offensive end still ahead by two. The Regents would take advantage of a quiet top of the second and put three runs up on three hits in the bottom of the second and leave CUC trailing for the first time of the day.
• The deficit wouldn't last long as a double from Jessica Geng (Phoenix, Ariz.) would put a runner in scoring position while an error from the Regents allowed Morris to get on base and score one run. An immediate ground-rule double from Arissa Santos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) would put the Cougars back on top 4-3. 
• The game would remain stagnant until the top of the fifth where a leadoff double from Garcia would get things rolling. An error from the Regents would score Garcia and leave one on base while a triple from Morris would score another. With an infield groundout, Morris would score and put the Cougars ahead 7-3.
• Another three up, three down for Bouska would send the Cougar bats back to work where she would send a single down the left field line and get things started in the inning. Back-to-back singles from Ashley Shroll (Tampa, Fla.) and Garcia would load the bases up. A single from Geng would score one while a single from Morris would score another and put the Cougars ahead 9-3.
• The Cougar defense would lock down and hold off the Regents and secure the game one win 9-3.

GAME TWO: 6-4 W
INSIDE THE BOX

• Garcia continued to hit well in game two going four-for-five at the plate with two runs and one RBI.
• Santos went three-for-five at the plate with two RBIs and one run.
• Three arms worked in the circle with Alyssa Lopez (Corona, Calif.) pitching four innings with two strikeouts, Alyssa Campos (Eastvale, Calif.) pitching three innings with one strikeout, and Eden Pufahl (Laguna Hills, Calif.) pitching three innings and collecting her second win of the season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Unlike game one, both teams struggled to find momentum, with the first run coming from Rockford in the bottom of the fourth. Once officially trailing, the Cougars kicked into high gear and picked up two runs on three hits off the bats of Garcia, Santos, and Morris.
• Come the top of the sixth, CUC would find a groove once again and a double from Garcia would score one run and put the Cougars up 3-1.
• Back-to-back three up, three down innings for the Regents at the hands of Campos would allow the Cougars to tack on another run with hits from Morris, Campos, and Melissa Hadzic (Westchester, Ill.) to put them up 4-2.
• With the Cougars ahead heading into the bottom of the seventh, they needed three outs secure the win, but the Regents wouldn't go down without a fight. After tacking on three runs with three hits, the Cougars would be forced to get back behind the bats and stay alive. Despite back-to-back hits from Santos and Geng, the Cougars would close the top of the eighth still knotted up at four apiece, forcing their defense to lock in and hold the Regents to force another inning. With Pufahl coming into the circle, the Cougars would hold them and force a ninth inning.
• A three up, three down on both halves of the ninth inning would move things to the top of the tenth. A leadoff single from Linley Southern (Decatur, Ill.) would jump start things while a single from Garcia would put runners on first and second. Santos would get underneath a ball and lift it to right center to score the base runners and put the Cougars ahead 6-4 heading to the bottom of the tenth. 
• With the momentum of the game winning runs on their side, the Cougars got to work. Despite Regent runners finding their way to third base, the Cougars were able to fight off the Regents and secure the extra inning win 6-4. 

With the Rockford sweep, the Cougars extend their win streak to nine straight game marking the longest win streak since 2016. They move to second in NACC play as they continue making the push for the conference tournament. They'll be back in action on Wednesday, April 16th as they travel to Milwaukee, Wis. to take on the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.