MESQUITE, Texas – The pesky Bulldogs split in the second two games defeating Bethel College (Kan.), 8-4, as they fell just short in the comeback against Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 7-6, on Friday. Concordia University, Nebraska Softball continued to manufacture hits (20) at the Mesquite Softball Complex with 14 runs scored on the day. Tobi Topp blasted three extra-base hits while going 4-for-7 from the batters’ box.
Head Coach Brock Culler and company have gone 3-1 in the Southern Collegiate Sports NAIA Invitational with two final games coming before leaving Texas.
“Our team showed a lot of guts and grit today,” Coach Culler said. “Oklahoma Wesleyan is a good softball team. That’s a good crew he’s got. We had that big inning. We came back and we were swinging the bats. I fell in love with our team today. We are going to have a pretty good thing this year.”
After waiting her turn, behind All-GPAC Jennifer Katz, Topp has come out firing from the opening pitch. With Concordia down 7-3 in the sixth versus OKWU, Topp blasted a two-RBI triple and eventually put the Bulldogs within one score after she crossed home plate (Avery O’Boyle sac fly). A Lloydminster, Canada, native, the center fielder finished with two triples, a double, four runs and two RBIs on the day.
Culler said, “This offseason, she (Topp) said I’m going to own it. This is my team. She dedicated everything to getting better and to be in this position. Everything she is doing, she worked her butt off to get it. Offensively, you see what she is doing. Defensively, out in center field, she controls this defense too.”
The offense stalled in game one after bringing the Eagles' advantage to a single run. Avery O’Boyle went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, a run and a sacrifice fly.
In game two versus the Threshers, Laycee Josoff drove in a run on a three-base knock to center field, getting on the board first for the Dawgs. After a game-tying march by Bethel, Concordia’s second baseman tacked on an RBI single in the sixth while contributing to three of the team's first four runs.
With a one-mark lead, Aubriana Krieser (RBI single), O’Boyle (RBI single), and Grace Maguire (two-RBI single) combined to push four runs across home plate to leave no doubt in the game two triumph.
The Bulldogs used three hurlers in the circle to come together for the win with freshman Kierstynn Linn (3.1 IP, one hit, two earned runs, three strikeouts) taking the victory on the scorecard – the first of her career. Lilly Elsasser (2.2 IP) entered in relief and Kaylei Denison (1.0 IP) polished off the final stanza.
Concordia (3-1) will face two top-level squads on the final day competing against No. 2 Oklahoma City University and the University of British Columbia. The first game is set to start at 11:50 a.m. CT at the Mesquite Softball Complex.