Box Score It took a while -- six hours, to be precise -- but the Hamline softball team inched closer to a return to the MIAC playoffs with an 8-3 win over Concordia in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday in Fargo, ND. Chelsea Koehn drove in four runs and Mary-Clare Couillard had three hits in Hamline's 8-3 win. The win offset a 9-5 loss in the first game. Hamline improved to 14-6 in MIAC play and now stand 21-13 overall.

The games were originally scheduled for Concordia's field in Moorhead. But the rainy weather forced the teams to move to Shanley High School in Fargo. Game 1 started but was stopped in the third inning with CC leading 3-2 because of lightning. After a two hour plus delay, play resumed and the Cobbers erupted for six runs for a 9-2 lead. Aubree Douglas' two RBI homer sparked a three-run 7th inning rally but CC held on for the win.

In the second game, Concordia scored a first inning run but the Pipers got it back when Casey Anderson raced in from third on a passed ball. Koehn broke the tie with a three-run homer in the third inning. The Pipers kept on swinging, scoring four more runs in the next three innings. Couillard (pictured), who improved her batting average to .396 (the highest it has been since March 18) with a five-hit day and Amanda Orrell, who leads the Pipers with a .416 mark (which also ranks fourth in the MIAC), drove in a pair of runs. Sarah DeMars gave up one unearned run on six hits to get the win and improve to 9-6 on the season. 

At 14-6, Hamline has the second most wins of any MIAC team. The Pipers have just two MIAC games left -- Saturday, April 30 against Augsburg. They are off until Thursday, April 28 when they play two non-conference games at Northwestern. The games begin at 4:00 p.m.