CLERMONT, Fla. – February 28, 2022 – The Chatham University softball team found itself in a pair of dramatic finishes, one that went the Cougars' way and another that resulted in a close loss. The win came in a 9-7 come-from-behind win over North Central, and the loss was in a 15-12 defeat to Elizabethtown, with the Cougars' record remaining at .500 with a 2-2 record.
 
Despite playing from behind for most of the North Central game, the Cougars struck for the first two runs of the game in the second inning. Sophomore Savannah Ahlborn laid down a bunt that turned into a three-bagger and drove home the first run of the game. Ahlborn later scored on an error by the second baseman to put the Cougars up 2-0.
 
North Central countered with a three-spot thanks to a double and a triple to go up 3-2. Chatham wound up tying the game on a bases-loaded walk by sophomore Mackenzie Wilder, putting the score at 3-3. It would remain that way until the bottom of the fourth when North Central scored four runs to go up 7-3.
 
Chatham had two attempts at a rally. The first came in the sixth when sophomore Mackenzie Dunn tripled to bring across the fourth run, with the fifth coming across off a SAC fly by graduate captain Lauren McNany. The first rally was cut off at 7-5 after six.
 
Down to the final inning, Chatham got a key RBI single by graduate Paige Shaftic. Then, with two runners in scoring position, Dunn blasted the three-run home run that gave the Cougars the lead for good, 9-7. After allowing a walk in the bottom of the seventh, senior pitcher Emily Nay retired the next three Rams to clinch the win.
 
Chatham was led offensively by Dunn's four RBI's and Shaftic's three hits. Junior Lauren Haak also laced three hits, a pair of doubles. Nay struck out three in the winning effort.
 
The Cougars carried over that momentum into the start of their game with Elizabethtown, scoring three times in the first two innings. First it was a throwing error by the Blue Jay third baseman allowing the first run to score in the opening inning. Then it was a pair of RBI singles by Shaftic and Haak making the score 3-0 after two.
 
In the third inning, Elizabethtown got on the board with a fielder's choice. However, the Cougars struck for two in the fourth with a throwing error and a single by junior Kaitlyn Collins, chasing the Blue Jay starter out of the game and giving Chatham control at 5-1.
 
The Blue Jays ended up getting a pair of runs in the fifth inning, which started a run that carried into the final couple of innings. In the sixth, E-Town took the lead for the first time with four runs in the fourth to go up 7-5. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off defensively for Chatham in the seventh after the Blue Jays scored eight runs, putting the Cougars behind 15-5 heading to the home half of the seventh.
 
While the Cougars faced a seemingly insurmountable deficit, they mounted a furious comeback. It started with another Blue Jay error allowing the first run to score. Then a bases loaded walk by Dunn brought home another run, which was followed by a Haak RBI single. Chatham ended up getting even closer with a pair of RBI doubles, first by Boyle then followed by first-year Madison Fisher. With the tying run at the plate, Chatham could not break through and seal the deal.
 
Chatham ended up getting 15 base hits for the game but were undone by three errors. Dunn had a 125-pitch outing despite taking the loss in six innings of work. Fisher relieved Dunn in the seventh and got the final three outs of the top of the seventh.

The Cougars have another double header tomorrow beginning at 3:00 against Wartburg followed by a 5:15 scheduled first-pitch vs. Rosemont.