Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Dominican University softball team opened Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) play on Wednesday afternoon, dropping both ends of a twin bill to the Concordia University Chicago Cougars, 5-2 and 5-1.

Emily Mahoney (Crystal Lake, Ill.) took the loss in game one, slipping to 3-4 on the season as the Stars' junior pitcher allowed five runs, three earned, over six innings on eight hits and four walks and two Dominican Jniversity errors.

Offensively, the Stars managed just six hits, two from All-American second baseman Sarah Budz (Orland Park, Ill.).   Mahoney and Budz each drove in a run in the losing effort.

Senior right-hander Jori Cicale (Steger, Ill.) took the loss in the circle in game two, falling victim to three unearned runs on a pair of costly Dominican errors.  Cicale scattered six hits over six innings while striking out three.  The loss drops the Stars' ace to just 4-4 on the season.

Dominican managed just four hits in the nightcap, one each from Corinne Wimmer (Elgin, Ill.), Mahoney, Taylor Miller (Elkhart, Ind.) and Erica King (Lyons, Ill.).

The pair of losses pushes the Stars' losing streak to four after winning six games to close out the road trip in Florida.  Dominican stands at 7-9 on the season and will return to NAC action this weekend with doubleheaders at Marian and Edgewood on Saturday and Sunday respectively.