MORRIS, Minn. – Thanks to a 13 run fourth inning in the second game of the doubleheader, Minnesota Morris (15-17, 13-6 UMAC) earned a split with Bethany Lutheran (13-21, 7-12 UMAC). A seventh inning rally came up short in the first game as the Vikings held on for a 5-4 win. The Cougars won 14-0 in game two to even up the season series. The two will play for a third time on Tuesday afternoon.
GAME 1
Bethany jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after a two run homer in the top of the first. The game stayed 1- through the fifth innings. The Cougars were held to just one in their first five trips to the plate. In the top of the sixth inning the Vikings tried to pull away, scoring three runs on four hits, but did leave the bases loaded.
The Cougars got their second hit of the game in the sixth but stranded the runner on second base. The bottom of the seventh started with a single by
Cassie Sowada, trying to spark a rally with a pitch hit appearance.
Mackenzie Weatherly also pinch hit and also singled putting runners on first and second.
Paige Larson was the next Cougar to bat and she also singled; loading the bases with nobody out.
Alex Anderson put UMM on the board with a two run double.
Gina Downie made it a two run game with a RBI single, driving in Larson.
Autumn Mahoney put the tying runners on second and third after flying out to right.
Molly Olson couldn't find a way to cut into the lead further after fouling out to third. A wild pitch while
Meghan Pomeroy batted made it 5-4 but that is where it would end after a ground out to the pitcher.
GAME 2
Minnesota Morris scored first in game two to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Larson scored on a wild pitch to break the deadlock. Starter
Mackenzie Weatherly was perfect through the first four innings while striking out six Vikings.
The Cougars busted the game open in the bottom of the fourth thanks to some help from Bethany. Morris had nine hits in the inning but 11 of the 13 runs that scored in the inning were unearned. The inning started quietly with a single, sacrifice bunt and another single but in the process UMM doubled their lead to two.
Clare Hamer had the RBI single giving UMM the 2-0 lead.
Alex Anderson made it 3-0 with an RBI single to score Hamer.
The first of three errors in the inning for Bethany allowed UMM to take a 4-0 lead. Another error followed, allowing two runs to score and made it 6-0. All other runs in the inning would be unearned following the second error of the inning.
Meghan Pomeroy had a three run homer in the inning; her second of the season. The Cougars still scored four more runs after the homer and before the inning ended UMM led 14-0.
The perfect game would end with one out in the fifth but Weatherly did earn the complete game win and shutout.
The Cougars have two more games in the regular season which will be played on Tuesday. The Cougars are one win behind Northwestern for the second seed in the UMAC Tournament. Northwestern finished the UMAC season with a 14-7 record, meaning a single win will allow the Cougars to clinch the two seed because Morris owns the tiebreaker over the Eagles. Morris will play Martin Luther and Bethany Lutheran on Tuesday afternoon.
