TUCSON, Ariz. – Two strong nonconference opponents out of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference greeted the Concordia University Softball team in its second day of action at the Tucson Invitational. In afternoon play on Tuesday (March 8), the Bulldogs let a 6-4 extra-inning lead slip away in a 7-6 loss to the University of St. Francis (Ill.) in extra innings and then were defeated by ninth-ranked Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.), 9-2. Caitlyn McGarvie starred with three hits in the first game.
Head Coach Tatum Edwards’ squad is 1-3 to start the Tucson Invite and is 10-6 overall. Concordia split a pair of run-rule games on Monday, falling at the hands of William Penn University (Iowa), 8-0, before bouncing back to pummel Roosevelt University (Ill.), 11-1.
“In tough games like that when we get down fast, we’ve got to battle back,” Edwards said. “It’s going to be about us staying together and figuring out how to fight together. We want to be that annoying team that’s going to scratch and claw until the end. It’s how you respond and how you fight.
“Caitlyn hit the ball really well all day long and was making plays in the outfield. She definitely came to play for us. It’s to see her get into a groove and trusting her swing. I’m proud of her for that.”
In the first game of the day, McGarvie doubled and tripled twice to lead an offensive attack that piled up 12 hits. The Bulldogs appeared poised for a victory in the eighth inning when Taylor Creighton and Lex Campos delivered RBI singles to make it a 6-4 lead. However, the Saints rallied back with three runs in the bottom half and celebrated a walk-off winner. Both Brittany Osborne and Madisen Tucker produced three hits apiece for St. Francis (6-3).
Concordia had tagged the Saints for three runs immediately in the first inning. Not only did McGarvie rack up three hits, three Bulldogs notched two hits apiece: Hanna Bowers, Campos and Creighton. Bowers drove in two runs.
In the second game against top 10 rated Olivet Nazarene, Concordia never recovered after digging a 6-0 hole. Kylie Shottenkirk went 2-for-4 with a run out of the leadoff spot for the Bulldogs. In addition, Zoie Isom went deep for her first career home run. Aubrey Bruning also singled and drove in a run. On the other side, Haley Dobson wore out Bulldog pitching with four hits.
Three Concordia pitchers combined to cover both games. That group included Megan Eurich, Jerzi Rowe and Brooke Townsend. The latter threw five innings against Olivet Nazarene without surrendering an earned run. Townsend allowed three unearned runs on seven hits and a walk.
The Bulldogs will play Dickinson State University (N.D.) at 2:30 p.m. MT / 3:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday as the Tucson Invitational continues. Concordia will also play once on Thursday and Friday before heading back to Nebraska.