The Concordia University softball team earned a split with the Dana College Vikings Tuesday night at Plum Creek Park in Seward, Neb. The Bulldogs took game one 3-2 before falling to the Vikings 9-6 in game two.
In game one a home run by Dana second baseman Melena Selzle gave the Vikings a 2-0 lead through three innings. The Bulldogs cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Clarissa Eloge led off with a double to right field. Eloge moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Baker and scored on Kendall Burgess' ringing single to left field.
Charlotte Kaeding then led off the bottom of the fifth with a double down the left-field line. Kaeding moved to third when Taylor Cameron grounded out to the third baseman and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sally Wolff to center field to tie the game, 2-2. The Bulldogs dodged a bullet in the top of the seventh when Dana put runners on first and second with just one out, but Concordia starter Nicole Sempek induced an inning-ending double play.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the seventh with leadoff hitter Clarissa Eloge coming to bat. Eloge found herself down 0-2 in the count, but she stayed alive by fouling off the next two pitches. With her next swing Eloge connected and the ball ended up in the area between first and home. Luckily for the Bulldogs, the Vikings catchers' foot was pulled off the base by the throw home and Concordia scored the winning run.
Nicole Sempek picked up the win for the Bulldogs, throwing a complete game. She gave up two runs (one earned) on seven hits. Sempek is now 8-2 on the 2009 season.
A hot start for the Vikings in game two put the Bulldogs behind 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning. Concordia then sent nine hitters to the plate, scoring three runs on four hits and one Dana error. Still trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Concordia put together a single by Baker, a walk to Burgess and an RBI single by Whitney Swanson to score a run. With two outs and runners on second and third, Cameron came to the plate and the first pitch sailed to the backstop. Concordia's runner on third scampered home while the Dana catcher looked for the ball. Meanwhile the Vikings also failed to notice Concordia's runner from second base, Whitney Swanson, had rounded third and kept on going, giving Bulldogs a 6-5 lead.
The Bulldogs rode the momentum of the fifth inning and were two outs away from a 6-5 victory when the wheels came off. Dana leadoff hitter Beth Richmond laced a hard-hit single down the left-field line. The Vikings followed by hitting for the cycle as a team with Melena Selzle doubling, Cherilyn Lund tripling and Brianne Nutty capping off the rally with a two-run home run. With the Vikings ahead 9-6, Concordia went down quietly in the bottom of the seventh.
Courtney Thomas was tagged with the loss for the Bulldogs, throwing 6 1-3 innings. Thomas gave up nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits, pushing her record to 1-8 for the 2009 season.
With the split the Bulldogs are now 11-12 overall and 6-6 in the GPAC while the Vikings are 11-11 overall and 5-3 in the GPAC.
Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box