Bulldogs move to 5-1 in GPAC with sweep of Midland University
Concordia University improved to 16-8 overall and 5-1 in conference play with a GPAC softball sweep of Midland University on Thursday in Fremont. Scores were 4-3 and 8-1. Midland dropped to 4-13 overall and 1-3 in conference play with the losses.
In game one, the Bulldogs took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Following two quick outs, Clarissa Eloge (Rising City, Neb.) singled and stole second. Nicole Mapes (Greeley, Colo.) followed with an RBI single. Midland quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first with a solo homer by Tiana Gataivasa.
Concordia reclaimed the lead in the second. Shelby Morose (Claremore, Okla.) singled and advanced to second on a walk to Amanda Baldwin (Wilber, Neb.). Following a wild pitch, Nicole Baker (Arvada, Colo.) delivered a sacrifice fly to score Morose and give the Bulldogs a 2-1 advantage.
The Bulldogs increased their lead with another run in the fourth. Amanda Beeson (Waverly, Neb.) doubled and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Morose. Amber Topil (Seward, Neb.) followed with an RBI single to push the Bulldog lead to 3-1.
Topil again delivered a key hit for Concordia in the sixth inning. Beeson reached on a Midland error to lead off the inning. A bunt by Morose moved Beeson to third. Topil then delivered her second RBI single of the game to increase Concordia’s lead to 4-1.
Concordia’s run in the sixth proved to be huge, as Midland University rallied in the bottom of the seventh. The Warriors scored two runs on four hits in the inning and had runners at first and second with just one out. However, Bulldog pitcher Elizabeth Young (Grand Prairie, Texas) got Kat Nickel to ground into a double play to end the game.
The Bulldogs finished with seven hits in the contest. Topil led the way with two hits and two driven in. Young (4-2) worked all seven innings to pick up the win on the mound. She allowed the three runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
In game two, Concordia jumped out to an early lead and cruised to the easy 8-1 win. In the top of the first, Baker led off the inning with a single. She stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Natalie Svoboda (Lincoln, Neb.) knocked her in with an RBI groundout, and the Bulldogs took the early 1-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs took total control of the game with a big second inning. Concordia scored five runs on four hits. Baldwin drove in two with a double to start the scoring. Svoboda added her second RBI groundout of the game, and Eloge had a 2-run single in the inning as the Bulldogs grabbed a 6-0 lead.
Midland scored its only run of the game in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Kathy Curtis. The Bulldogs got that run right back in the top of the sixth on a solo homer by Alyssa Bauwens (Perryville, Mo.). It was the third homer of the year for Bauwens. Concordia added another run in the seventh on an RBI single by Svoboda for the final score of 8-1.
Nicole Sempek (Columbus, Neb.) moved to 9-2 on the year with the win on the mound. The junior didn’t allow a hit through the first three innings, and the Warriors totaled just three hits in the game. Sempek walked just one and struck out 11 in the contest.
The Bulldogs finished with 10 hits in game two. Baker was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Mikaela Klein (Grand Island, Neb.) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Svoboda drove in three runs, while both Eloge and Baldwin drove in two in the Concordia win.
Concordia continues conference play at Dakota Wesleyan on April 2.