The softball season has been very good to us so far, as our Lady Cougars took an 11-1 record into conference play.
This past weekend, the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference softball began with our ladies playing in two doubleheaders. The excitement for the season has become so great because of our non-conference play, so to get off to a good start in the CCAC is very vital for us. On Friday, we went on the road to Davenport, Iowa to take on the Fighting Bees of Saint Ambrose University in the first doubleheader of the weekend. In game 1, the bats started fairly quietly, as we faced an 0-2 deficit after four innings, without getting a hit.
In the fifth inning, both junior Nicole O’Donnell and freshman Lyda Robinson drove in an RBI a piece to tie the ballgame. Junior pitcher Allison Golic followed that up with two shutdown innings on the mound. In the top of the seventh inning, we took the lead thanks to an RBI single by senior outfielder Frankie Demack. However, in the bottom of the inning, we could not finish the comeback effort, giving up two runs and ultimately losing the game by a score of 4-3. Junior outfielder Tori Williams went 1-2 from the plate, scoring two runs and drawing a walk. Golic tallied seven strikeouts in the losing effort. In game 2, we once again had a slow start at the plate.
After getting only one hit in the first four innings, we faced a 0-5 deficit. As we have been able to do all season, we overcame a deficit again with our bats waking up to score three runs each in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Fighting Bees were able to bounce back in the seventh inning, scoring a run to send the game into extras. We were not able to score in the top of the eighth, going three-and-out. A three-run homer ended our chances to even the series, as we were sent away with an 0-2 conference record.
On Saturday, our ladies got a chance at redemption, playing the Trolls of Trinity Christian College in another doubleheader. In game 1, our ladies scored each of the first three innings, leading by a score of 5-0 after three. Scoring was highlighted by a two-run homer in the opening inning by junior infielder Tori Keilman. Golic tallied nine strikeouts in the effort and earned the win, while the defense helped limit the Trolls to three hits in the game. In game 2, our ladies again scored in the opening inning thanks to junior pitcher Amanda Ruskowsky. After losing the lead in the bottom of the third inning, the Cougars answered with three runs in the bottom half, highlighted by a two-run homer by Keilman.
This would be her second homer of the day, as she went yard in the first inning of the previous game. The four runs in the fourth inning were just icing on the cake, as the defense was able to shut down the Trolls in the remaining innings to complete the sweep. Ruskowsky earned the victory on the mound, and assisted herself by also excelling at the plate. She went 2-4 with three RBI during the game, while sitting down three batters by way of strikeout while on the mound.
Ending the weekend with a 2-2 conference record, the ladies (13-3) are back in action on Tuesday, March 26th at Robert Morris University.
Dallas Haywood
Sports Reporter