SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – The Dordt offense continued to display its firepower taking two versus (6-0, 10-2 (5 inn.)) Concordia University, Nebraska Softball on Saturday (April 18). A visiting Bulldogs squad looked for an answer in the circle but couldn’t find one to slow down the best offense in the conference. Taryn Ganstrom was a bright spot in game two with a two-run shot.
Head Coach Brock Culler and company are 19-18 overall and 8-10 in the GPAC.
“I don’t think we responded or played real well,” Coach Culler said. “They hit. We didn’t. Their approach compared to our approach was way different. That was why they had the result that they had. We took a lot of pitches, and they didn’t. We had a hangover from yesterday and we just weren’t ready to go today.”
Four pitchers saw time in the circle for Concordia trying to slow down the best batting average (.365) in the conference. Brooke Moore came in relief and fired the last 2.1 shutout innings to render the Defenders silent for the rest of the initial contest, allowing one hit in eight batters faced. The rest of the time spent in the circle the Bulldogs’ bullpen had a rough go of it giving up 16 runs on 22 hits in the doubleheader.
Ganstrom, a senior out of Seneca, Kan., was the chink in the Dordt armor as she went 3-for-5 in the two-game series, 2-for-3 in game two, while also driving in the only two runs in the pair of games for the visitors. It was her second home run of the season and third of her career.
In game one, the Defenders’ Lauren Steenstra knocked two over the outfield wall for four RBIs with one in the first and the third. Down six after four frames, Mary Beth Hart and Avery O’Boyle (2-for-3) were able to break through with singles, but Dordt’s ace Rylee Yager (15-7) quickly shut down any actions toward consecutive hits.
After the valiant effort in game one, Concordia’s Moore received the starting nod, the first of her career. The Defenders found their stroke once again as four Bulldog pitchers were thrown into the circle trying to slow down the home team.
After her first collegiate hit yesterday, Elena Shipley was entered into the starting lineup for the first game as a Bulldog. The sophomore from Elkhorn High went 1-for-2. Tobi Topp was one of the six players in the lineup to connect in the eight Concordia hits.
Concordia (19-18, 8-10 GPAC) has four regular-season games remaining on its final homestand, starting Wednesday (April 22). The Bulldogs will host Doane (19-20, 6-10 GPAC) at 5 p.m. CT for a doubleheader in Plum Creek Park.