RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Marian University softball team split a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Concordia Chicago Sunday afternoon. The Sabres won game one 5-4, while the Cougars took game two 8-5.

In the series opener CUC (12-5, 1-3 NACC) scored on a MU error in the bottom of the first and led 1-0. The score would remain the same until the top of the fourth when the Sabres' offense inflicted damage.

Senior Gabby D'Oronzo started the scoring with an RBI single to center field. Junior Nicole LaBeck followed that up with a single to center field to score a pair of runs and the Sabres led 3-1.

CUC scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings to regain a 4-3 lead. However, the Sabres responded in their half of the sixth inning.

D'Oronzo, a Chicagoland native, doubled to left field to tie the game at 4-4. On a 2-2 count freshman Taylor Gerlach singled through the left side to score D'Oronzo, which proved to be the game-winning run.

Senior Emily Gorges (8-2) went the distance for the Sabres.

The New London, Wis. product allowed five hits, four runs (one earned) and one walk and fanned four batters.

D'Oronzo batted 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and Sara Terrian finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

In the nightcap the Sabres' offense started where it left off from series opener.

In MU's half of the second inning LaBeck recorded an RBI single and knotted the game at 1-1.

The Sabres continued to roll in the top of the third. Gorges tripled down the right field line to score a run and Terrian singled to left field to score Gorges and MU led 3-1. However, CUC regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning and led 4-3.

The Cougars added runs in the fourth and fifth innings and opened up an 8-3 lead.

The Blue and White cut the deficit to 8-5 in the top of the sixth when freshmen Rachel Soch and Lindsey Strainis recorded RBIs.

MU (14-6, 3-1 NACC) returns to the diamond Monday, April 11 for a conference doubleheader at Dominican. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.

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