RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Concordia University Chicago (CUC) softball team continued Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) play this afternoon, hosted the Alverno College Inferno. After a comeback win of 8-7 in game one, the Cougars dominated in game two, with a massive 23-2 victory, which is the highest scoring game in program history since 2009. CUC improves to 13-9, 6-2 NACC.
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Game One
Inside the Box Score
- Seven Cougars crossed home plate in game one.
- Jessica Geng (Phoenix, Ariz.) led the Cougars, going three-for-four at the plate with two runs and two RBIs.
- Mayah Larenas (Chino, Calif.) went two-for-two and added a run.
- Jolene Anderson (Romeoville, Ill.) batted in three runs.
- Eden Pufahl (Laguna Hills, Calif.) got the win on the mound, pitching five innings and recording two strikeouts on 18 batters faced.
How It Happened
- The Inferno came out hot in the first, going up 6-0. Alverno then added another run in the second.
- With a deficit to claw back from, Pufahl came into the circle at the top of the third, and helped keep the Inferno at bay.
- In the bottom of the third, with bases loaded, McKyler Morris (Belvidere, Ill.) hit an RBI single to put the Cougars on the board and start the comeback.
- Anderson then stepped up to the plate, hitting a double to the outfield, bringing in two runs.
- Arissa Santos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) followed with a bases clearing double, adding two more runs for CUC and cutting the Inferno's lead to two, 7-5.
- The Cougars got within one the following inning as Geng hit an RBI double to score Larenas.
- The comeback came to fruition in the bottom of the sixth. Geng hit another RBI double to bring in the tying run. Then, both Katelyn Smith (Chatsworth, Ga.) and Morris were walked, loading the bases. Stepping up to the plate was Anderson, who won the battle at the plate, taking the RBI walk and putting the Cougars up 8-7.
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Highlights
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Game Two
Inside the Box Score
- Geng continued her hot streak, going two-for-two at the plate with three runs and four RBIs.
- Morris also went two-for-two with three runs and a career-high four RBIs, including a three-run homerun.
- Emily Garcia (Eastvale, Calif.) recorded three runs and two RBIs, including a two-run homer.
- Megan Bouska (Plainfield, Ill.) and Alyssa Lopez (Corona, Calif.) stood strong in the circle, combining for three strikeouts.
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How It Happened
- The Cougars kept the momentum from game one rolling into game two. Garcia led off and got herself in scoring position after being hit by a pitch and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Smith. Geng smashed yet another double to the outfield, scoring Garcia.
- Geng was able to advance to third and then score off a wild pitch to double the Cougars lead.
- After a few walks, the Cougars had bases loaded for Ashley Shroll (Tampa, Fla.). Shroll singled to the outfield to bring in two runs and put Larenas at third base.
- During the next at bat for the Cougars, the Inferno tried to catch Shroll stealing second which allowed Larenas to run home and put CUC up 5-0.
- In the bottom of the second, Alverno struggled to find the strike zone, walking five of the Cougars' first six batters, and increasing CUC's lead to 7-0.
- With bases loaded, Shroll hit a sacrifice fly to score Morris.
- After a double steal from the Cougar runners, Linley Southern (Decatur, ill.) doubled out to left field to score Larenas and Santos, bringing the Cougars' total to double digits, 10-0.
- After back-to-back walks for Garcia and Smith, Geng cracked a bases clearing triple, increasing Concordia's lead to 13-0.
- Back-to-back doubles from Alyssa Campos (Eastvale, Calif.) and Morris added two more runs to CUC's lead, capping off the 10-run inning.
- Up 15-0 the Cougars didn't let up. After back-to-back walks to start the bottom of the third inning, Emily Lucero (Chino, Calif.) stepped up to the plate and added a run with an RBI double.
- Melisa Hadzic (Westchester, Ill.) had an RBI single, and Campos hit a sacrifice fly to put the Cougars up 18-0.
- With runners on second and third, Morris hit a stunner over the center field fence for a three-RBI homerun, adding to the Cougar total.
- At the top of the fourth, Alverno was able to put two runs on the board, but the Cougars quickly got out of the half inning.
- At the bottom of the fourth, Julia Pataluna (Commerce City, Colo.) singled and made it to second on an error by the Inferno outfield. With two outs, Garcia cracked one out of the park for two RBI's and ending the Cougars' day with a 23-2 win.
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Highlights
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What's Next
The Cougars are back in action Saturday, April 12 at home. CUC hosts Marian University for a NACC double header with the first pitch at 12:00 p.m. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.