ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team responded after its Upper Midwest Athletic Conference opening loss by sweeping a doubleheader against Crown College 10-7 and 9-0 Saturday in St. Paul, Minn.
 
The Cougars improve to 2-1 in conference play and 4-11 overall, while the Polars drop to 13-6 overall and 1-2 in the UMAC.
 
Game 1
GingerAnn Lucas had a leadoff single to start the doubleheader, then advanced to second after stealing a base. Olivia Losee singled to center field to put runners on the corners with no outs. An error scored both runners, and before the inning was up, Alyssa Thornton crossed home to give the Cougars a 3-0 edge. The Polars cut the lead to two after a home run in the bottom of the first.
 
Ro Diver doubled to left field in the second inning and restored the three-run lead after scoring on a Lucas single. Crown kept the game close by scoring two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
 
After a scoreless third, Diver got things moving with a walk in the fourth. Taylor Johnson followed with a single, and an error moved Diver to third. Lucas cleared the bases with a two-run double. Losee put runners on the corners with her second hit of the game. A fielder's choice allowed Lucas to score. Before the inning was up, pinch runner Ashley Albert stole home on a double steal to extend the UMM lead to 8-3. After a leadoff walk for Crown in the fourth, Morgan Wilhelm retired the next three batters.
 
The Cougars scored their ninth run of the game in the fifth after another double steal, with Kendra Schmitz crossing the plate. The Polars matched the scoring with another run in the fifth.
 
Johnson led off the sixth with a single. She would later come around to score after a stolen base and an error. Crown chipped into the lead, but the Cougars held them off to take game one 10-7.
 
Minnesota Morris had 11 hits in the win, with Lucas and Losee recording three each. Schmitz and Johnson also had multi-hit games with two each. Lucas led the team in RBIs with three, while Thornton and Schmitz added one apiece. UMM stole six bases, with Johnson and Losee going 2-for-2.
 
Wilhelm earned the win in the circle after pitching a complete game. The senior pitcher struck out one batter, walked five, and gave up nine hits and seven earned runs.
 
Game 2
Lucas continued to reach base, drawing a walk and then stealing second to get into scoring position. Losee put runners on the corners with a single to left field. A wild pitch scored Lucas, and the Cougars led 1-0 after the first.
 
Kennedy Biegler and Diver each had two-out hits in the second. An error kept the inning alive as Johnson reached first to load the bases. Lucas had her second walk of the game, scoring Biegler from third. Losee singled in her second at-bat, driving in a pair of runs. Thornton reloaded the bases with a walk. Mary Landherr hit a two-run single to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead at the end of the second.
 
After four scoreless innings, the Cougars extended their lead in the sixth. Biegler started the inning with a leadoff walk, with Diver following suit. Audrey Olson entered as a pinch runner. Olson and Diver each moved up 60 feet after a wild pitch. Lucas grounded out to second but drove in another run. An error scored Diver. The final run of the game came on a double to left field by Landherr.
 
Thornton completed the shutout with a one-two-three sixth inning as Minnesota Morris won 9-0.
 
Losee and Landherr led the Cougars with two hits apiece, as UMM totaled six in the win. Landherr drove in three runs, while Losee and Lucas had two RBIs each. Minnesota Morris drew eight walks in the contest, with Biegler, Thornton, and Lucas each drawing a pair.
Thornton earned the win with her first shutout of the season. In six innings of work, she totaled seven strikeouts, walked one batter, and gave up one hit.
 
The Cougars are scheduled for their home opener on March 27 against Bethany Lutheran College at 4 p.m.