NEW ULM, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team set a program record on Friday afternoon by picking up their 11th straight win, a 7-1 victory at Martin Luther College to start the three-game series with the Knights. The Cougars are now 17-9 overall, while the team's UMAC record stands at 4-0 with the win over MLC paired with the news that Northland College has suspended the rest of its season and the three previous victories over the LumberJills will now go into the non-conference column.

A Sierra Stevens single to lead off the game combined with an error on the play immediately had Minnesota Morris knocking on the door. Following a wild pitch that moved Stevens to third, Alice Wilkinson singled her home for a 1-0 Cougar edge. Back up at the plate with two down in the second inning, Stevens doubled home Olivia Losee to double the margin to 2-0.

Alyssa Thornton (8-3) cruised through the first two innings before giving up the lone Martin Luther run of the contest in the bottom of the third to momentarily bring the Knights to within a run at 2-1. 

That seemed to bring the Minnesota Morris offense back to life after a scoreless top of the third. In the fourth, Athena Grimley and Losee led off with singles. With one down, Stevens drove in another run with a RBI single. Next up, Wilkinson flew out to center but it was hit deep enough to bring Anna Athey in from third to increase the lead to 4-1. Before the inning was through, the Cougars were able to tack on another run with an Anna Baumann single bringing Stevens in for a 5-1 advantage.

The lead was stretched further in the top of the fifth, with an Athey single bringing home pinch-runner Courtney Smith and Athey later working a double-steal with Grimley to perfection as the Cougars made it 7-1. Thornton took it from there, putting the Knights down in order in the fifth and then stranding three runners the rest of the way to finish off the six-run victory.

Thornton had six strikeouts in the complete-game victory, allowing just seven hits in the contest. Steves was 3-for-4 at the top of the UMN Morris order, while both Thornton and Grimley added a pair of hits each.

Minnesota Morris and Martin Luther will conclude their three-game series tomorrow in New Ulm with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.