The Briar Cliff softball fell in a pair of contests Thursday to crosstown rival Morningside at Bishop Mueller Complex. In a pair of pitcher's duels, it was the Mustangs who found the timely hits to secure the sweep.
 
"This has been a tough four game stretch for us," said head coach Erin Bly. "Unfortunately, we can't find ways to score and it's coming at a very bad time. The team is tough, we'll bounce back."
 
Game 1 – L, 1-2
 
After two straight outs in the bottom of the first, Kylee Lukes tallied the first of her three hits in the game with an infield single. Lukes moved over to scoring position by stealing second base, and was quickly brought home on a Ali Naumann RBI single.
 
Morningside, looking to get a run back in the second, advanced runners to second and third with two outs. Charger starter Maddi Duncan forced a groundout to herself, ending a scoreless inning with a throw to first. The Mustangs tied the game in the third at 1-1 after a pair of doubles.
 
After a Mustang run in the sixth, the Chargers looked to tie the game at two in the bottom half with runners on first and second and one out. The Chargers, however, flied out and grounded out in back-to-back at-bats to end the inning. Jessica James walked in the bottom of the seventh, trailing by one run, and moved to second base on an error by the catcher. The Mustangs struck out the final Charger batter ending the game at 2-1 in favor of MSIDE.
 
Duncan is hit for her sixth loss of the season after a two-run complete game. She struck out five batters and allowed seven hits.
 
Lukes went 3-for-3 on the day with one run scored. Nauman and James each recorded a hit for the Cliff.
 
Game 2 – L, 0-2
 
The Chargers threatened to score in the first inning, placing runners on second and third with one out. Back-to-back outs ended the inning with a Charger run crossing the plate.
 
The Charger bats were stymied over the next five innings as they went down in order in each frame. Katelyn Kotlarz and an errorless defensive effort helped keep the Chargers within two runs of the Mustangs as they entered the bottom of the seventh.
 
BC tallied one run, as James reached on an infield single, but two straight outs ended the 0-2 loss.
 
Kotlarz threw a complete game with five strikeouts, five hits and two runs. Naumann and James tallied the Chargers only two hits.

The Chargers will be back at home on Saturday as they host Hastings for their regular season finale and Senior Day at Bishop Mueller Complex. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.