SEWARD, Neb. – A surprise visit from her mother may have added just a bit of extra motivation for Fillmore, Calif., native Zoie Isom on Tuesday (March 29). Isom helped set the tone for the day when she delivered a 3-2, two-out grand slam to left center in game one of the home doubleheader with Doane. Isom’s bat and Camry Moore’s pitching arm paved the way to a 6-1 win in game one before the bats of Concordia University Softball really busted loose in a 13-5 run-rule game two victory. Somewhat surprisingly, Isom’s slam was the only homer of the day on a night when the wind blew straight out.
Head Coach Tatum Edwards’ squad improved to 14-12 overall (3-3 GPAC) as it played at home for the second time in 2022. This was the type of offensive outburst the Bulldogs had been seeking.
“Offensively to come back after they had scored a couple runs to make the game (two) close, and to see them explode like that at the end of the game, was great,” Edwards said. “You just felt their presence in the box. I’m really proud of how we continued to fight in our at bats. I really wanted to see more production towards the bottom of the lineup and you saw that one through nine. To see everybody through the lineup contribute and pass the bat is a really good thing.”
In game one on a warm and windy Tuesday, the Bulldogs got all the offense they needed in the third inning. Isom provided the big blow while taking advantage of four free passes issued in the frame by Tiger pitcher Shelby Downard. Prior to Isom’s grand slam, both Caitlyn McGarvie and Moore forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk apiece. Concordia made its three hits off Downard count.
With Moore working in the circle, those six runs were plenty enough. The Crete High School product covered all seven innings while allowing six hits (mostly soft ones) to go with three strikeouts and no walks. Incredibly, Moore has walked only three batters in 78 innings this season. She lowered her ERA to 1.79.
Isom (who played first base and DP) also supplied a two-run double in game two while leading the team with six RBIs on the day. Surely she made her mother proud. Said Isom, “I believed in myself more than what I have been and just trusted what I can do … It was definitely a great moment. Everyone was like, your mom’s here. That was really nice for her to be here.”
In the second contest, Doane made it a one-run game (6-5) with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. The seven-run inning that followed enacted the run-rule. That’s when Isom’s two-run double came. It was soon followed by Moore’s two-run single that made it an eight-run spread. The frame also featured three hit-by-pitches and two walks.
But the Bulldogs did plenty of hitting in that second game, which saw McGarvie, Moore, Kylee Nixon, Kylie Shottenkirk and Julia Van Wey each produce two hits. Nixon scored four runs while Moore drove in four. In addition, Maggie Hughes came through with a two-run double in the fifth. In game two, Concordia hitters reached base a combined 21 times via either a hit, walk or hit-by-pitch.
Jerzi Rowe won her second-straight start against GPAC competition. She went 5.2 innings (four earned runs allowed) before Megan Eurich recorded the final out in the top of the sixth. The Bulldogs believe the pitching combo of Moore and Rowe will continue to give them opportunities to win within the GPAC.
Said Edwards, “They compliment each other really well. To see Camry come out and do what she does, that’s just what we expect from her. With Jerzi, she’s learning to bring that confidence every team she goes out there. She knows what she can do and she just needs to trust that process.”
Concordia will return to action on Saturday with a GPAC doubleheader at Northwestern (22-6, 1-3 GPAC). First pitch from Orange City, Iowa, is slated for 1 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs split last season’s twin bill with the Red Raiders.