MANKATO, Minn. – Elli Stevenson threw a five inning no-hitter on Saturday in game one as Minnesota Morris (4-22, 2-4 UMAC) beat Bethany Lutheran (5-17, 2-6 UMAC) 8-0. It was the first no-hit game for UMM since 2013, when Kelsey Draper and
Mackenzie Weatherly combined for one against Crown. There are no records that show any other no-hitters in Cougar history. Morris won 1-0 in game two to complete the sweep.
Morris began play in 1983 but game records only include games played from 2002-2016 as well as NSIC conference games from 1999-2001.
The Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first.
Magen Knickerbocker doubled through the left side to plate
Gina Downie.
Autumn Mahoney would be the second Cougar to touch home plate, coming home on sac bunt from
Meghan Pomeroy.
Downie drove in her second run of the year in the top of inning number two, putting Morris up 3-0.
Erin Kvam made it 4-0 in the third, driving in Knickerbocker.
Paige Larson and
Alex Anderson would follow that up with RBI singles to make the score 6-0.
Stevenson helped her own cause in the fourth with a two-run double to center field, driving in Kvam and Pomeroy. In the circle Stevenson finished the game with just one walk and struck out four.
It was pitching duel in game two as the Cougars failed to get a hit through four innings of play. During the same time the Vikings scattered just three hits as the game moved to the fifth inning scoreless.
Morris' first base runner reached via a walk in the fifth but it was quickly erased by a double play. Bethany also had their first batter in the fifth reach and it was too erased by a double play.
Thanks to an error and sac bunt the Cougars had a runner on third with one out in the top of the sixth. Mahoney broke up the no-hitter to put Morris up 1-0 as Larson touched home. Mahoney would steal second and third giving the Cougars a chance to extend the lead but unfortunately the threat would end after a strikeout. Bethany got a single in the sixth but no more and the game moved to the seventh inning.
After the Cougars went down quietly in the top of the seventh the Vikings put runners on first and second with two away.
Maegan Anderson was able to induce a fly ball out to pick up the shutout victory. Anderson went all seven innings, allowing just six hits to pick up the win.
