FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – Lydia Cloud and Heather Dorn combined to earn the Marian University softball team a doubleheader split against visiting Concordia University Wisconsin in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference action at Smith Field, this afternoon, April 22.

Cloud's lead-off home run in the first inning of game two gave the Sabres (13-21, 9-9 NACC) a 1-0 advantage, while Dorn's complete-game, three-hit shutout held the Falcons (16-16, 10-8 NACC) at bay. Marian's 1-0 win came following a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Concordia Wisconsin and helped the Sabres stay in the thick of the league standings and in position for a conference tournament berth.

Game one saw the Falcons jump out to an early lead with five runs in the second inning. A key error in the frame led to three of the five runs being unearned. CUW would add another insurance tally in the fifth to secure the 5-0 victory.

CUW's Melissa Perkins out-dueled Marian's Emily Gorges in the circle, tossing the complete-game shutout, while scattering just six hits and striking out four. Gorges struck out five, but allowed three earned runs on 11 hits over seven innings of work.

Amber Johnson recorded half of Marian's hits with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate.

In game two, the freshman Dorn worked around a couple of hits in the first inning and got out the jam unscathed. That led to a great at-bat by Cloud.

Placing the freshman in the leadoff spot by Head Coach Ashley Steltenpohl for the first time this season paid immediate dividends as Cloud sent an 0-1 pitch deep over the left field fence – the definition of a "no-doubter."

After establishing her team with the lead, it seemed to allow Dorn to settle in as she didn't allow a baserunner to reach second base the rest of the way. In fact, she set down 13 straight batters from the second inning through the first out in the sixth.

With one out in the seventh, Dorn allowed a single to Carly Sobrilsky, which kept things interesting. However, pinch-runner Erika Martinez attempted a steal and Marian catcher Sara Terrian threw her out by four feet.

The final out came on one of Dorn's 14 groundouts as her defense was able to pick her up time-after-time. Dorn improved to 6-7 on the season.

The Sabres will face MSOE in a pivotal series that could determine who gets the sixth and final spot in the NACC tournament. Both teams sit tied in the league standings for the final spot at 9-9 in league play. Game one Friday, April 25, is slated for a 3 p.m. start. Marian's lone senior Nikki Ponticelli will be honored prior to game time.