The Dominican University softball team split their second straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) series, dropping game one to the Marian University Sabres, 3-1 on Saturday, before outlasting the Sabres, 2-0, in 15 innings in the nightcap.
 
Freshman Cat Klostermann picked up the win in game two, tossing a career-high 15 innings while shutting down the Sabres offense, surrendering just seven hits and three walks while striking out ten.  The rookie right-hander had five 1-2-3 innings and allowed just one base runner to reach third base all game, tossing 199 total pitches.
 
The Stars finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the 15^th when Sydney Kuderna logged a one-out, pinch-hit single.  After a sacrifice bunt and passed ball, Gabby Curran walked to put runners at the corners with two outs.  Sophomore Abby Maike followed with a bunt with Kuderna scoring and then Curran able to come around on a throwing error by the Sabres' catcher.
 
Klostermann than took care of business in the bottom of the 15^th, setting the Sabres down in order to improve to 4-2 on the season.
 
Offensively, the Stars managed just four hits, one apiece for Maike, Kuderna, Ali Woitovich and Katie Fredrick.
 
In the series opener, Dominican outhit the Sabres 5-3 but a two-run double for the Sabres' Nicole LaBeck in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference.
 
Kuderna took the loss in the circle, allowing just two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five over six innings.

"We have not been hitting the ball and have been carried by our pitching," said Cristina Lukas following the twin bill. "Sydney and Cat were both really good today. They are going to keep us in a lot of games and it is just a matter of time until the bats round back into form like we know they can.  In the meantime, we need to execute the game plan at the plate and find a way to scratch across enough runs to win some more games."
 
The Stars, now 17-7 on the season and 2-4 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play, return to the diamond tomorrow, taking on the Lakeland University Muskies at 12:00 p.m. in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.