NEW ULM, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team completed the sweep of Martin Luther College with a 12-2 win in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Friday afternoon in New Ulm, Minn.
 
The Cougars improve to 8-7 in conference play and 10-17 overall, while the Knights fall to 4-20 overall and 2-7 in the UMAC.
 
Ro Diver recorded the first hit in the series finale with a single to left field, then moved into scoring position by stealing second. Olivia Losee followed with a single to center to put runners on the corners. Mary Landherr drove in the first run with a single, and shortly after, Alyssa Thornton made it 3-0 with a double. In the bottom of the inning, Thornton retired the side in order to send the Cougars back to the plate.
 
Taylor Johnson led off the second inning with a triple, her second of the season. Losee drove her in with a ball to center field. Landherr added her second hit of the game with a double, advancing Losee to third. A wild pitch brought Losee home to extend the lead. Thornton then singled to score Landherr for the final run of the inning.
 
Skylar Morris reached base for the first time in the third inning, drawing a walk, followed by a single from Johnson. Diver laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners, and Losee drove them in with a single to left field. An error put Landherr and Losee on the corners, and the pair executed a double steal to push the lead to 9-0. The Knights answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
 
The Cougars loaded the bases with the first three batters in the fourth inning on singles from Kendra Schmitz and Kennedy Biegler and a walk by Jillian Anderson. Morris delivered a single to drive in two runs. The bases were loaded again after a single from Johnson, and Diver reached on a fielder's choice that scored Morris, extending the lead to 12-1.
 
The Knights added another run in the fifth, but the Cougars secured the 12-2 victory to complete the sweep.
 
Minnesota Morris totaled 15 hits in the win, with Johnson, Losee, and Schmitz each recording three. Landherr also had a multi-hit game with two. Johnson hit a triple, while Landherr and Schmitz each doubled. Thornton and Losee led the team with three RBIs apiece, and Losee also scored a game-high three runs.
 
Thornton earned the win in the circle, pitching three innings with one strikeout and allowing no earned runs. Marissa Anderson threw the final two innings, also recording one strikeout and allowing no earned runs.
 
The Cougars will play a nonconference doubleheader on Monday against Division II Northern State University, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.