MONMOUTH, Ill. – A spring of near-misses concluded Sunday for Cornell's young softball team, falling 4-3 and 6-1 to Midwest Conference Tournament qualifier Monmouth in the regular-season finale.
 
The Rams finished the campaign at 8-27 overall, 6-10 in the MWC. The tight Game 1 loss was the team's sixth by two runs or less this season.  
 
Cornell held a 3-2 lead through five innings in the opener, thanks to a two-run double by Miranda Keith in the top of the fifth. The Fighting Scots (13-20 overall, 10-4 MWC) struck back for two runs in the sixth, scoring what proved to be the winner on a wild pitch with two outs.
 
Marissa Faletti represented the tying run on third base in the top of the seventh when the game ended. Faletti, the team's lone senior, finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a run. Caitlin Babcock added two hits for the Rams.
 
Alyssa Pearson (5-14) went the distance in the pitching circle, striking out three and walking one.
 
The difference in Game 2 came during Monmouth's five-run fourth inning. The Fighting Scots plated four of the runs with two outs.
 
Erin Puck accounted for Cornell's two hits in the game. The junior went 2-for-2 and scored the team's only run on a sacrifice fly from Faletti in the sixth.
 
Puck finished the season on a 10-game hitting streak and led all Cornell regulars with a .420 batting average.
 
Skylar McCartney-Puzio (3-4) took the pitching loss. Eva Stewart tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in relief.