Game 1

Concordia Moorhead 21
Minnesota, Morris 12

Box Score

Rainy and cold conditions did not cool down the bats as the Cougars fell 21-12 to Concordia-Moorhead in their home opener.

Played at Big Cat Stadium due to poor playing conditions on Cougar Field, the Cobbers used two big innings to put UMM behind early and leaving them scrambling to catch up.

UMM's Tasha Johnson took the loss, giving up 16 runs on 13 hits. However, only eight of those runs were earned as the Cougars committed five errors on the day, several in the second and fifth innings when the Cobbers piled up runs.

The Cougars were not without their own offensive fireworks, pounding out 12 runs on ten hits including four RBI's from Johnson who moved to shortstop late in the game.

Collecting hits for the Cougars were Diane Blommel, Liz Leuty and Ashley Splonskowski.

Game 2

Minnesota, Morris 6
Concordia Moorhead 3

Box Score

The rain having departed, the Cougars responded to their first game disappointment with an impressive and defensive-minded 6-3 win over the Cobbers in game 2.

Kali Cordes recorded the win, having come into replace starter Kelli Hamilton who was sidelined in the third inning after taking a line drive on the hand. Cordes was handed 1-1 tie and held tough to bring home the three-run win.

Cordes also benefited from a scrappy UMM defense that retired the Cobbers with the bases loaded in three different innings.

In the fourth inning, the Cobbers loaded the bases with no outs. A ground ball to Johnson forced a runner at the plate. Cordes fanned the next batter, and Blommel retired the third out on a ground ball to first.

Then in the fifth, the Cobbers loaded the bases again with two outs, but Cordes got a batter to pop out to Splonskowski in right field.

Meanwhile, on offense, UMM went ahead in the fourth inning when left fielder Britney Glisczinski rapped home Tasha Johnson with a single to left center.

In the sixth, the Cougars widened their lead with four runs on five hits.

Johnson led off with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Third baseman Ally Obernolte sacrificed Johnson to third. Glisczinski beat out an infield hit to the pitcher and was replaced on the base path by Irene Churchill who promptly stole second. Catcher Julie Rohling then singed up the middle, sending home Johnson. Cordes doubled to left center, clearing Churchill and Rohling. Blommel then singled home Cordes, giving UMM a 6-1 lead.

But the game had some tension left. After a nifty double play turned by Blommel, the Cobbers took back a quick run with a double and a single. The next Concordia batter hit a seeing-eye single through the middle, followed by another double, cutting the Cougar lead to 6-3. Cordes would hit the next batter, loading the bases again. But she put matters to rest by striking out the final Concordia hitter.

The Cougars have a week off before hitting the road for games against Bethany Lutheran College (April 6) and Presentation College (April 10). The play at home on April 13 against Martin Luther.