ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team split their conference opener at Concordia (Mich.) University - Ann Arbor, taking the first game 5-0 and falling in the nightcap 2-0.

GAME ONE

The Blue Devils opened up the scoring with three runs in the third innings as Cherney shut the Cardinals down with 11 strikeouts and no runs. Meredith Adams (SO/Portage, Mich. ) reached on an error from the leftfielder, scoring Alina Molette (SO/Wyoming, Mich.) to give Lawrence Tech a 1-0 lead. Andra Malburg (FR/Maineville, Ohio) made it 2-0 on and RBI single to centerfield and gave the Blue Devils a 3-0 lead when she scored off a Dana Bigham (SO/Jackson, Mich.) RBI single. Malburg made it 5-0 in the fifth inning with a homerun to left-centerfield.

Lawrence Tech's Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ) started in the circle and earned the complete game, shutout win giving up four hits as she faced 23 batters and allowed just one walk. Cherney opened the game striking out the side in the first inning after a leadoff single from Concordia. She struck out the side in the second inning to open the game with six straight. She went in order in the third inning with a ground out, pop-out, and a strikeout.

In the fourth inning, the Blue Devils gave up a leadoff bunt, but Cherney induced a double-play to get a pair of outs before ending the inning with a groundout to Jackie Mattingly (SO/Chino Hills, Calif.).

Cherney continued to be dominate as she send the side down in order in the fifth, but got in trouble in the sixth. Concordia opened the sixth with a pair of singles to put runners on first and second before Cherney got her ninth strikeout of the game for the first out of the inning. The Cardinals sacrifice bunt led to the second out of the inning before Cherney struckout Capuzzi to end the inning. She closed the game the same as she started, sending the Cardinals down in order with a pop-out, strikeout, and a groundout.

Malburg finished the game 2-for-4 with a homerun, three RBIs, two hits, and two runs scored. Bigham finished with an RBI while Adams added a run and an RBI in the win

GAME TWO

Lawrence Tech and the Cardinals found themselves in a pitchers duel in game two. Both pitchers cruising throught the first three innings before Concordia broke through for the only runs in the game in the fourth inning. The Cardinals scored their only runs of the game off a Sampang homerun to leftfield to take a 2-0 lead. Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) started in the circle and had it going early, as she set nine straight batters down after giving up a leadoff double in the first inning.

Bult and the Blue Devils had two outs in the fourth, but a hit by pitch and a homerun put the Cardinals up two. Lawrence Tech had opportunities to score runs as they had two on with two outs in the top of the fourth, but Concordia was able to get out of the trouble. The Blue Devils had one last chance to make a comeback as they had a runner on third with two outs, but were unable to keep the inning alive as Concordia struck out Kubiak to end the game.

Eubanks started in the circle for Concordia and went seven innings allowing no runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts and three walks. Bult finished the game allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts.

UP NEXT:

Lawrence Tech opens their home slate with a pair of games at University of Detroit Mercy's Buysse Field in Detroit, Mich. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Follow @LTUAthletics on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube | #Blue DevilsDare