SEWARD, Neb. – The Dawgs unleashed 24 hits in the two games versus Dordt and found themselves in a split at Plum Creek Park on Tuesday (April 15). Concordia University, Nebraska Softball came up shy of a game one comeback (9-6) but carried the momentum into the next contest to hammer the Defenders in a five-inning run rule clobbering (13-3). Six Bulldogs had at least three hits in the twin bill.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the dugout have reached 24 wins (24-16) in the season for the first time in the program since 2021 and have a .500 (9-9) conference tally.
“The key to this team making a leap is our offense,” Coach Culler said. “Game one, we got ourselves in some trouble and couldn’t get a lead batter out. They kind of grabbed the momentum from us, and in the last two innings, we got it back. Coach Glause said to the team, ‘I don’t care if we end up winning this game or not, but these last two innings, we have to build some momentum that carries into game two.’ I like the way we made adjustments and stuck with it on offense today.”
Hitting a .200 batting average as a team in the last 10 games, the offense seemingly rose from the dead with a .421 showing in the two games.
In game two, the Bulldogs got ahead early with a 5-1 lead built by four hits that were sandwiched with a Jennifer Katz RBI single and an Avery O’Boyle RBI single. After the Defenders responded, making it a two-run ball game (5-3), the Concordia offense erupted for seven hits in the eight-run fourth. Delanie Voshell pushed the first run across (O’Boyle) and an avalanche continued to fall with Aubriana Krieser, Grace Maguire, Layce Josoff (triple), Aubrey Bruning and Ganstrom (triple) compiling six consecutive knocks.
“It was definitely huge,” Voshell said. “We knew we needed this win. We probably could have had the first one, but bouncing back is really what shows the grit in our team. It was great to have that inning. We really needed it.”
Lost in the shuffle, Kaylei Denison hit double-digit wins (10-4) and has a three-game winning streak. She struck out six and allowed nine hits, three runs and four walks, but kept her composure to get out of jams.
Ganstrom, out of Seneca, Kan., continued her clutch at-bats, clubbing 4-for-7 with two triples, four runs batted in and three runs scored. After hitting her last three-bagger, Ganstrom tied the single-season record for triples (eight), matching Stephanie Hinrichs (1982) and Celine Lassaigne (2003).
“I’m just seeing the ball,” Ganstrom said. “They are having good placement going over to right field, which is a long throw for them, and I take advantage of it.”
In game one, the home squad got down (8-2) but scored four in the last two frames and had the winning run at the plate before the final out.
The batter's box was crowded with Bulldogs that had impressive outings from the offensive side of the ball. Ganstrom, O’Boyle (4-for-8), Bruning (3-for-4), Katz (3-for-6), Voshell (3-for-7), and Krieser (3-for-7) had a spectacular day in the ballpark, hitting .520 in game two as a full team.
Concordia (24-16, 9-9 GPAC) is set to hold senior day against Mount Marty on Saturday (April 18) in Seward. First pitch is at 1 p.m. CT in Plum Creek Park.