PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Madi Johnson (Fr.-Vernon Hills, Ill.) threw a four-hitter to win a pitcher's duel and the Lakeland University softball team toppled nationally ranked Concordia University Wisconsin 2-1 in the final game of the teams' four-game weekend series Sunday afternoon.

The Muskies made two first-inning runs stand up the rest of the game and earned a split of a doubleheader after falling to Concordia 2-0 in the first game Sunday. Lakeland wrapped up the regular season and now turns it focus to the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference North Division Tournament, where it will face top seed Concordia again on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Fond du Lac.

The Muskies (12-21-1 overall, 9-11 NACC North) held their own throughout the series with Concordia, ranked 20th in the most recent NFCA/NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll. Lakeland became just the second divisional opponent to defeat the Falcons, lost two other games by 2-0 scores and allowed just five earned runs over the four games.

Concordia (28-6 overall, 18-2 NACC North) won Sunday's first game with another outstanding performance from ace Gina Followell, who pitched a three-hitter and struck out nine. Leah Binsfeld (Sr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) also pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and two runs, both coming unearned after Lakeland errors in the second and fourth innings.

The Muskies started quickly in the second game as Hannah Nelson (Fr.-Loves Park, Ill.) and Jacy Klaske (Jr.-Fond du Lac, Wis.) both singled and after a wild pitch were at second and third with nobody out. Cheyenne Mathas (Jr.-St. John, Ind.) and Mathas followed with successive RBI ground outs to score both to give Lakeland a quick 2-0 lead.

The margin would stand up almost the entire way, as Johnson scattered four hits and four walks with three strikeouts to take a shutout into the seventh. Lakeland would have some anxious moments in the final frame, as a single, an error and a walk loaded the bases and Madison Wheat then walked with the bases loaded to cut the lead to a run, but Johnson induced Sydney Erdmann to hit a grounder to third baseman Gabby Greetan (So.-Manitowoc, Wis.), who took the play unassisted to the bag for the force out to end the game.

Johnson also went 3-for-3 at the plate in the second game and improved to 3-2 on the season after outdueling CUW's Nicki Becker, who allowed seven hits and two runs while fanning five. Nelson added two hits in the second game for Lakeland and three on the afternoon.