LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Wrapping up their annual trip to the Desert Stinger, the University of Mary Softball team completed their fifth game in three days as they took on Concordia University-Irvine this afternoon.
 
The Marauders (0-5) fell behind early to the Eagles (6-0) and were held hitless through four innings before they made dent on the scoreboard, but couldn't get the offense in gear as they fell 5-0 in the first weekend of the 2016 season.
 
Concordia-Irvine wasted little time ramping up the pressure as their leadoff hitter in the first inning sent a shot over the outfield fence for a 1-0 lead and got one more in the inning on another solo shot for a 2-0 lead going into the second.
 
The Marauders went three-up and three-down through the third inning while the Eagles took advantage of a U-Mary gaffe in the second after the first two batters reached base and the third drove a run in on a defensive error for the 3-0 lead. Concordia-Irvine brought two more runners across before the inning was up and held a commanding 5-0 lead going into the third.
 
U-Mary got their first runner aboard in the top of the fourth inning on an Eagle error but couldn't bring Taylor Mendez home as the offense was still searching for their first hit of the game. The Marauder defense finally settled down as they kept the bases clear through the rest of the game though, spurring the offense on in the meantime.
 
Shawnee Zink finally got U-Mary on the board, both in the runs and hits column, as she sent a blast over the center field fence to cut the lead down to 5-1, but Concordia-Irvine's pitchers still befuddled the Marauder batters as they couldn't produce any additional runs in the inning.
 
U-Mary got another run in the top of the sixth, again from Zink, as she sent a sacrifice fly to center field that brought in Mendez to put the score at 5-2, but once again that was the allotted amount U-Mary would get in the inning as the game went into the seventh.
 
Colleen Crutchfield provided the spark in the seventh inning as she sent her first solo shot of the season over the left field fence, and the Marauders once again had the tying run aboard with one out as Alexandra McDermott drew a walk and Alana Norman singled on a groundball to the shortstop for runners at first and second.
 
Yet any thought of another comeback attempt were quickly dashed as the Eagles forced a popup from Demaree Rodriguez and Mendez's fly ball landed short of the right field fence to send U-Mary back to Bismarck without a win at 5-3.
 
Shawnee Zink finished with one hit, though it was certainly a statement, to go with two RBI and one run scored, while Colleen Crutchfield ended up with two hits, on homerun, one RBI and one run scored.
 
MeLanie Rodriguez took the loss in the game as she finished with two innings pitched and gave up five runs, while Taylor Lara came in relief for five innings pitched, one hit given up and two strikeouts.
 
The Marauders have plenty of time before their next road trip as they resume their regular season on Monday, February 29, for the annual Spring Break trip down to Clermont, Fla., for the Dot Richardson Spring Games. U-Mary will play nine games over the course of five days as they look to find the winning combination.
 
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