LINCOLN, Neb. – Getting runners on base wasn't a problem Thursday for the College of Saint Mary softball team.

Advancing them to touch home plate was more of a challenge.

The Flames collected nine hits in their nonconference matchup with Nebraska Wesleyan University at the Sandhills Global Youth Complex, but could only push across two runs in a 6-2 loss to the NCAA Division III Prairie Wolves.

"We did a lot of good things,'' CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "We just didn't get the timely hits when we needed them.''

CSM (3-21) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second when Amber Kosmicki singled, was sacrificed to second by Haley Anderson and scored on Makenna Earnest's double.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the fifth, CSM threatened when Ella Watts and Shaylynn Campbell had back-to-back, two-out singles, but a groundout ended the threat. NWU (18-5) then broke it open with three in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a Lyndsey Roth two-run double.

The Flames added one more run in the sixth when Maria Perez singled and eventually scored on Earnest's single. But the visitors again stranded two.

Four players tallied two hits each for the Flames: Watts, Perez, Kosmicki and Earnest. Campbell allowed six earned runs and 11 hits in her six innings of work.

"We made a lot of nice defensive plays, including a big throw from Kayla Reed to Amber Kosmicki at third to throw out a runner trying to stretch out a hit,'' Bray said. "Our whole goal today was to get better with quality at-bats and tough defense. Our focus is on two big GPAC doubleheaders this weekend.''

CSM is at Briar Cliff University on Saturday for games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Flames stay in Sioux City to face Morningside University on Sunday, again at 1 and 3.