MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team fell 11-6 and 5-0 to Bethany Lutheran College in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Sunday afternoon in Morris, Minn.
 
The Cougars drop to 2-4 in conference play and 4-14 overall, while the Vikings improve to 15-6 overall and 2-0 in the UMAC.
 
Game 1
The Vikings got on the board early and built an 8-0 lead before the Cougars came to bat. GingerAnn Lucas, Olivia Losee, and Alyssa Thornton recorded three straight hits to load the bases for UMM. Mary Landherr grounded out but drove in Lucas, and Jillian Anderson singled up the middle for another Cougars run, making it 8-2 after the first inning.
 
Morgan Wilhelm drew a leadoff walk to start the second inning, and Lucas recorded her second single in as many innings. Losee hit a bases-clearing triple to cut the lead to four. Wilhelm kept the deficit at four by pitching back-to-back one-two-three innings in the third and fourth.
 
Minnesota Morris threatened in the fourth after a leadoff walk from Taylor Johnson. Johnson stole second, and Lucas singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. A successful double steal allowed Johnson to score, and Thornton followed with a single up the middle to bring the Cougars within two.
 
The Vikings loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with no outs and capitalized, scoring five runs to extend their lead. In the final two innings, Lucas and Anderson each singled and Thornton drew a walk, but Minnesota Morris could not bring them home, falling 11-6.
 
The Cougars totaled 11 hits, with Lucas going 4-for-4 and scoring three runs. Losee, Thornton, and Anderson each recorded two hits, while Kendra Schmitz added one. Losee drove in two runs, while Thornton, Anderson, and Landherr each had an RBI. Johnson led the team with two stolen bases.
 
Wilhelm pitched a complete game with three strikeouts, two walks, and allowed nine hits and seven earned runs.
 
Game 2
As in the previous two games of the series, the Vikings scored in the opening frame to take an early 1-0 lead.
 
The first Cougar hit came in the second inning on a single by Kendra Schmitz, but she was left stranded. Bethany Lutheran extended its lead to 5-0 after the top of the third.
 
Landherr doubled to right-center field in the fourth, and Anderson followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one out. The next two batters were retired, keeping UMM scoreless.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Cougars turned a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning. In the bottom half, Ro Diver led off with a single up the middle, but Minnesota Morris' next three batters were retired as the Vikings secured the 5-0 win.
 
The Cougars had six hits in Game 2, with Anderson recording two. Landherr, Schmitz, Diver, and Johnson each added one hit. Landherr had the lone extra-base hit with a double. Johnson and Courtney Smith each stole a base. Thornton pitched a complete game with four strikeouts, three walks, and allowed eight hits and four earned runs.
 
The Cougars will open their next series Wednesday with a doubleheader against North Central University scheduled for 1 p.m.