MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team begins Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play on Friday against Crown College in a three-game series. The Cougars and Polars will play at 7 p.m. on Friday, followed by a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday.
 
All games can be viewed on the UMAC Sports Network or by clicking here. To follow the live stats click here.
 
Minnesota Morris is coming off an eight-game stretch in Hawaii and California. The Cougars earned a 3-2 win over the University of La Verne. In the victory, Mary Landherr went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. Jillian Anderson drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning, while Alyssa Thornton pitched a complete game to earn the win.
 
This season, Landherr leads the team with a .409 batting average, totaling nine hits and two doubles. Thornton and GingerAnn Lucas follow at .304. Olivia Losee leads the team with two home runs, the only ones for the Cougars this season. On the basepaths, Taylor Johnson has a team-high six stolen bases, while Losee is a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts. In the circle, Thornton has a 5.41 ERA over 32.1 innings of work with 12 strikeouts.
 
Crown College enters conference play with a 12-4 overall record. The Polars won both of their games on Monday, defeating St. Joseph's University Brooklyn 10-9 and besting Lesley University 15-1. In the UMAC Preseason Coaches Poll, Crown was selected fifth. Taylor Jones is in his second season as head coach. Leading the team is Maria Lillienthal, who is batting .477 with 21 hits, including five doubles. Brooklyn Riley is 7-0 for Crown with a 4.23 ERA.
 
Last season, the Cougars went 2-1 against the Polars, winning 5-1 and 10-7, but falling 9-2. In both wins, Anderson earned the victory in the circle and recorded four RBIs across the three games.