PITTSBURGH, Pa. - March 17, 2023 - Chatham University Softball hosted Houghton College tonight in their home opener. The Cougars would win the first game 10-0 in five innings before mounting a comeback in game two for a 7-6 victory.

Game one saw a dominant offensive showing by the Cougars, including doubles from senior Mackenzie Dunn, junior Savanna Ahlborn, and first-year Kayleen Garcia. The trio also drove in one run each, as did graduate student Paige Shaftic, seniors Kaitlyn Collins and Lauren Haak, sophomore Isabell Griswold, and first-year Ciera Jimenez. Senior Alyssa Hoffman was the lone Cougar to put up two RBIs.

First-year pitcher Victoria Murren allowed just one hit in her shutout. She struck out six Highlanders in the effort.

Game two began in the Highlanders' favor, and they maintained their lead until the bottom of the fourth. Lauren Haak began the scoring rally, scoring Griswold. She was followed by Shaftic, whose infield shot allowed Hoffman to score. Ahlborn kept the momentum going, forcing an error on the Highlanders, and getting Haak back home. The Cougars' final score of the fourth was caused by Dunn, who tripled to right center and brought Ahlborn across the plate.

In the fifth, Griswold would triple before an errant throw granted her another base, putting the Cougars at six runs. Houghton would catch up to tie the game with a sixth-inning double.

Dunn took it upon herself to regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth, doing so with a sacrifice fly that scored Haak. Houghton was unable to survive Murren's pitching, with two strikeouts and one centerfield fly-out coming to them in the seventh.

The Cougars now stand at 3-9 overall, with all three wins being against the Highlanders. In her rookie campaign, Murren now holds a 3-5 record.

Chatham has a quick turnaround with their upcoming doubleheader against Carnegie Mellon on Tuesday, March 21 at 6:30/8:30 PM on home turf.