River Forest, Ill. - The Concordia University Chicago (CUC) Cougars softball team were on their home field to welcome the Cardinals of North Central College for a non-conference doubleheader. In game one, the Cardinals had a quick start. The Cougars' multiple defensive plays were not enough as the Cardinals took game one, 2-1. In game two, the Cougars still couldn't grab on to the necessary plays as the Cardinals took game two, 8-4, sweeping the Cougars.
Game One
Inside the Box Score:
- Charlize Gonzalez (Dallas, Texas) went two for three at the plate in game one.
- Linley Southern (Decatur, Ill.) went one for one at the plate in game one, collecting the Cougars' sole run.
- Haley Gulsby (Englewood, Fla.) went one for two at the plate in game one.
Here's What Happened
- The Cardinals made a statement as the top of the first inning commenced, making a quick run, even with a great double play from Eliza Auger (Littleton, Colo.). This was quickly followed up with a double from a Cardinal into right field, allowing for another Cardinal run to occur. The Cougars would end the Cardinals' rampage with their final outs. The Cougars wouldn't last long behind the bats as the Cardinals collected an easy three outs, ending the inning in the lead, 2-0.
- The second inning came around, Katie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) working hard to accomplish two strikeouts and an out by third, putting the Cougars back at the plate. Mayah Larenas (Chino, Calif.) was the first Cougar to reach first after being walked. Then Gonzalez singled up the middle, helping Larenas advance to second. This is as far as the Cougars would go before the inning closed, the Cardinals staying in the lead.
- The third inning was full of double plays by both teams, as Alaina Pilas (Chicago, Ill.) aided in a double play. Another out would end the top of the inning. The bottom of the inning opened up with Auger getting walked, but was out after grounding into a double play. Gulsby had the lone single of the bottom half for the Cougars but the Cardinals would shut things down with a final out.
- Things slowed down in the fourth inning, the Cougars collecting a quick three outs before returning the Cardinals back to the field. The Cardinals also collected their outs, but not before Melisa Hadzic (Westchester, Ill.) attempted to get all the way to second after hitting a single. The teams moved into the next inning, the score remaining the same.
- The fifth inning began with a Cardinal out and a Cardinal being walked before a double play by the Cougars would close out the Cardinals' time behind the bats. The Cougars began their batting with Auger being walked, but easy outs for the Cardinals would close the inning, the scoring stagnant.
- The sixth inning became a little more interesting as the Cougars grabbed their outs quickly, ready to get back to batting as they entered the bottom of the inning. Southern started things up with a single into right field. Arissa Santos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) then gave the Cardinals an out while advancing Southern to second. Alyssa Campos (Eastvale, Calif) then hit a double into right field, which helped Southern home for a Cougar run. Any additional runs would be hindered as the Cardinals grabbed a double play, taking out Hadzic and Campos for the inning's final outs, the Cardinals still in the lead, 2-1.
- As the final inning rolled around, the Cardinals only got as far as first before the Cougars up them back in the field. Gonzalez hit things off for the Cougars with a single to the pitcher. This was followed up with Pilas, who came in to pinch run for Esmeralda Luevano (Chicago, Ill.), reached first off of a fielder's choice to first - this would lead to Gonzalez being out at second. A final out would end the inning, giving the Cardinals game one, 2-1.
The Cougars' couldn't muster up the needed plays as the Cardinals took game one, 2-1.
Game Two
Inside the Box Score
- Julia Pataluna (Commerce City, Colo.) went three for three at the plate in game two, tacking on a run and an RBI for the Cougars.
- Gulsby went two for three at the plate in game two, grabbing one run and one RBI.
- Auger and Larenas were the only other Cougars with hits, each adding one, where Auger went one for three and Larenas went one for two.
Here's What Happened
- The second game began with a successful run from the Cardinals as a Cardinal singled to right field, which helped advance a previous runner to second and another to home. The Cougars would continue with the double plays as they got one in, ending the top of the inning. The Cougars got some good plays in at the bottom of the first, starting off with McKyler Morris (Belvidere, Ill.) getting walked. Southern then reached first off of a fielder's choice to shortstop, which in turn, took out Morris at second. Santos then came in to reach first off of a fielding error by first while Southern advanced to third. The Cardinals then got in a double play, getting Southern and Campos for the final outs of the inning, the Cardinals ending the inning in the lead, 1-0.
- The Cardinals only made it to second before the Cougars came back to bat. Larenas started at the bat, getting walked. Pataluna then singled to center field, which helped advance Larenas to second. Pilas then reached first off of a fielder's choice to third, advancing Pataluna to second, but getting Larenas out at third. Emily Lucero (Chino, Calif.) also reached first off a fielder's choice to shortstop, Pilas getting out at second, but Pataluna was able to advance to third. Pataluna wouldn't get home as the Cardinals ended the inning.
- The third inning saw the Cardinals tack on another run, and their defensive efforts quickly got the Cougars out, three up, three down to put themselves back up to bat.
- The fourth inning broke open as the Cardinal loaded up the bases; two Cardinals singled to left and right field, which advanced all the runners and allowed for two Cardinal runs. The Cougars came back to swing their bats, Pataluna starting things off by getting walked. Gulsby then singled to shortstop while Pataluna advanced to second. Lucero was also walked, advancing Gulsby to second and Pataluna to third, loading the bases. Auger then hit a double into left center field, advancing Lucero to third and letting both Gulsby and Pataluna score. The Cougars were able to tack on their first runs, but the Cardinals still remained in the lead, 4-2.
- Plays kept their pace in the fifth inning, a Cardinal hitting a single to left field, helping a runner from a previous play score. Two more outs from the Cougars would put them back at the plate. Back-to-back walks favoring the Cougars placed Gonzalez and Hadzic on first and second. Larenas then singled to right center field while Hadzic and Gonzalez advanced to scoring position. Pataluna then singled to right field, helping advance Larenas and Hadzic while Gonzalez made it home for a Cougar run. As the inning ended, the Cardinals remained in the lead, 5-3.
- The Cardinals objected to the closing of the score gap, an error, a walk and a wild pitch allowing for three Cardinal advancements, which turned into three Cardinal runs. As the Cardinals made their way back into the field, they grabbed their quick outs, not giving the Cougars a chance to rebound as the inning ended, 8-3.
- A single would begin the final inning, but the Cougars would end things there, coming back to bat. Luevano got walked to start the inning, followed up with a single from Pataluna to the pitcher, Luevano advanced to third on the throw. Gulsby then singled down the left field line, advancing Pataluna to second while Luevano scored a run. The Cardinals would grab their final out and took game two, 8-4.
What's Next
The team will be back in action on Saturday, May 2nd, to not only celebrate Senior Day, but to also go head-to-head against the Spartans of Aurora University for their last regular season doubleheader. Coverage for all things Cougar softball can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
