(Story By: Zach Koenig)
Rosemount, MN—In their final contest of Sunday’s UMAC crossover event, the University of Minnesota-Morris softball team’s offense woke up from its slumber but was still defeated 16-14 by Crown College.
The Cougar offense got on the board early, as Bailey Jelle (Jr. Lakeville, MN) was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a Heather Briese (Fr. Fergus Falls, MN) single in the first inning.
However, the Crown College offense also roughed up UMM starting pitcher Diane Blommel (Fr. Long Prairie, MN) to the tune of six runs in the first inning, two runs in the second, and four runs in the third.
Down 12-1 after three innings, Minnesota-Morris began to battle back in the fourth. Doubles from Ashley Corbett (Jr. Forest Lake, MN) and Julie Rohling (So. Howard Lake, MN) jump-started the offense to four runs that inning.
In the fifth, Briese picked up two RBIs with a single after Jelle had doubled and Blommel had reached on a Crown College fielding error.
With the deficit now down to 12-7, the Cougars continued their comeback in the sixth inning when Liz Leuty (Fr. St. Cloud, MN) was hit by a pitch and later scored on another Jelle double. Blommel then singled up the middle, scoring Jelle, and eventually scored on an error by Crown College’s shortstop.
Though creeping to within two runs at 12-10, UMM quickly saw its momentum vanish in the top of the seventh inning when Crown College put four more runs on the board.
The Cougars responded with a four-spot of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning, thanks to hits from Heidi Miller (Fr. Eden Valley, MN) and Briana Czer (Jr. New Ulm, MN) as well as two passed balls and four fielding errors by Crown College.
However, the Cougar rally fell two runs short at 16-14 when the final out was recorded.
Four Cougars recorded multi-hit performances in the contest: Jelle (2-2, 2 RBI, 3 R), Blommel (2-5, 1 RBI, 3 R), Briese (2-5, 3 RBI, 1 R), and Miller (2-4, 1 R).
Corbett (1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R), Rohling (1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R), and Czer (1-4, 1 R) rounded out UMM’s offense.
Blommel pitched five and one third innings and was charged with the loss after allowing 11 earned runs while walking eight batters. Jelle came out of the bullpen to set down the final two Crown College batters.
 |  |
| Minnesota-Morris | 14 | 11 | 4 |
| Crown College | 16 | 14 | 8 |
| UMAC Crossover |
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