Early deficits in both games were too much to overcome as the Lakeland University softball team lost both ends of a home doubleheader against Concordia University Chicago Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars won by scores of 6-0 and 11-5 in an important Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference matchup. Lakeland dropped to 8-12 overall and is now 2-4 in the NACC, while Concordia is 12-9 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

The Muskies fell behind 3-0 in the first inning of the opener and spent the rest of the day chasing the Cougars. Lakeland was held scoreless on four hits in the first game even as the pitching steadied and held Concordia to just the three runs until a three-run seventh. Taylor Bush (So.-Waukesha, Wis.) pitched 5 1/3 innings in relief and limited CUC to two hits and three runs, two earned.

The hosts also surrendered a five-run first inning in the second game and played catchup the rest of the way. Concordia added two runs each in the second and third innings for a 9-2 lead after 2 1/2 innings, and the Muskies never got closer than four runs the rest of the way.

Paige Chladek (Fr.-Orland Park, Ill.) hit a two-run homer in the second game, while Jessica Beaudry (Jr.-Gladstone, Mich.) and Mackenzie Gray (Fr.-Fernandina Beach, Fla.) also drove in single runs. Beaudry and Chladek combined for five of the Muskies' 10 hits on the day, with Beaudry hitting safely three times and Chladek twice. Sami Jo Williams (Sr.-Sussex, Wis.) also scored two runs.

Marita Van Dyke had a huge second game for Concordia with three hits and five RBIs. She finished the day with a total of seven runs driven in.

Lakeland is home again tomorrow when it welcomes Dominican (Ill.) University for a doubleheader beginning at noon.