Morris, Minn. – The Minnesota Morris softball team scored a pair of dramatic victories today (Apr. 21), coming back twice to beat Northland, 3-2 and 11-10.

A pair of sixth-inning runs led to the win in game one, and a hit batter followed by a pair of hits in the bottom of the seventh gave the Cougars (13-13, 10-3 UMAC) the win in game two.

In the first half of the twin bill, a throwing error by the LumberJills (12-15, 7-5 UMAC) first baseman on a Natasha Wiebold bunt in the bottom of the sixth allowed two runs to score, including Wiebold who came all the way around for the eventual winning run.

Then in the second game, the Cougars saw a 10-7 lead in the top of the seventh erased, only to have Laura Lhotka drive home Molly Olson in the bottom of the inning for the walk-off win.

Mariah Essig earned the win in both games, moving her season record to 8-5, striking out six on the day. Helping her on offense most notable were Olson and Jordan Iverson, who each went 4-for-7 on the day, scoring a combined six runs, while driving in a combined four.

Olson again hit safely in each game, extending her streak to 17 straight games, with each of the last eight games being multiple hit games. He batting average now sits at a gaudy .494, including a .667 mark over the six games the Cougars have played this week.

The Cougars hit two homeruns in the second game, moving their team total to a program record 15 on the season. Included in that mix was a three-run shot from Kelsey Draper, giving Morris their 10-7 lead after the sixth.

The Cougars have now won eight straight, and with their two wins today built a 2.5 game cushion on Northland for second place in the league standings. Tomorrow they close out a busy week with league leader and defending champion St. Scholastica, who enters at 10-1 in conference play.  A Morris sweep would move them into first in the league standings, heading into the final week on UMAC action.

The first pitch with the Saints is currently set for 1:00 p.m.