SEWARD, Neb. – Back in Nebraska, the Concordia University Softball team will continue the nonconference slate against a pair of in-state foes this week. Next on the docket are doubleheaders with Nebraska Wesleyan University (away) and Peru State College (home). Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad is coming off the Tucson Invitational that saw it win four of six games. The Bulldogs enter this week sporting an overall mark of 8-12. Culler and the program expect to welcome a large number of recruits to Plum Creek Park on Saturday for the 2024 home opener.
This week
Wednesday, March 13 at Nebraska Wesleyan (11-4), 3 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: University Place Park (Lincoln, Neb.)
Saturday, March 16 vs. Peru State (3-13), 2 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Plum Creek Park (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The spring break journey began back on March 1 as Concordia played four times at the Friends University Invitational prior to flying to Arizona. The Bulldogs played 10 games from March 1-7 and earned victories during that stretch over Missouri Valley College, Park University (Mo.), Dickinson State University (N.D.), Tabor College (Kan.), Graceland University (Iowa) and Valley City State University (N.D.). Those 10 games saw Concordia outscore its opponents by a combined total of 54-36. The Bulldogs also posted a higher batting average (.318 to .286) than their foes and committed only six errors in 270 chances in the field (.978 fielding percentage).
· From an individual perspective, no player shined quite like Megan Eurich did over the course of spring break. Since the calendar flipped to March, Eurich has made nine pitching appearances (six starts) and has posted a 6-0 record and 1.77 ERA in 47.1 innings. She was even better at the Tucson Invite as she went 4-0 with a 0.24 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 29.2 innings with a .221 opponent batting average. That run even included a day with two shutouts as Eurich blanked Dickinson State, 7-0, and Tabor, 8-0, on March 5. She fired 12 innings for the day perhaps her finest day as a Bulldog. Over three seasons at Concordia, Eurich has logged 259.2 innings and has a 3.37 ERA and 213 strikeouts.
· Six regulars in the Bulldog lineup batted .300 or better during spring break: Jennifer Katz (.433; 13-for-30), Aubrey Bruning (.385; 10-for-26), Zoie Isom (.364; 12-for-33), Laycee Josoff (.346; 9-for-26), Julia Van Wey (.313; 10-for-32) and Taylor Glause (.300; 9-for-30). A transfer from Southwestern Community College, Katz has come on especially strong. Not only did she hit above .400 during spring break, she also added a double, two triples, two home runs and 12 RBIs. Meanwhile, a home run apiece was produced by Isom, Josoff and Van Wey. Isom equaled Katz with 12 RBIs over the past 10 games.
· Team statistical leaders in key offensive categories include Aubrey Bruning in batting average (.400), Laycee Josoff in runs (11) and on-base percentage (.435), Zoie Isom in hits (20) and slugging percentage (.569) and Taylor Glause in doubles (six). Three players each have two home runs: Josoff, Katz and Isom. Meanwhile, Katz and Isom share the team lead with 15 RBIs. Delanie Voshell’s four steals are tops on the squad.
· Earlier this season, Van Wey collected the 100th hit of her career. Junior Kylie Shottenkirk (97 hits) is closing in on that same milestone while Isom stands at 83 hits as a Bulldog. In 102 career collegiate games, Shottenkirk has batted .321 (97-for-32) with a .382 on-base percentage and .457 slugging percentage. As for Van Wey, she’s one of the final links back to the Concordia national tournament qualifying squad of 2021 that went 32-13 overall.
· The development of the Bulldogs’ pitching depth will be a key moving forward. There were positive signs shown by freshman Kaylei Denison, who ended the Tucson Invite by throwing 6.2 innings versus the University of St. Francis (Ill.). Denison allowed only one run while making big pitches with runners on base. It marked Denison’s longest outing of the season to date. As the team’s ace, Eurich has shouldered a large portion of the load. She has worked 81 of a possible 124.1 innings in the circle so far in 2024.
The opponents
Nebraska Wesleyan is out to an 11-4 record under Head Coach Mary Yori. Through 15 games, the team’s leading hitter has been Lyndsey Roth, who is batting .390 with a home run and 11 RBIs. The Prairie Wolves qualified for the NCAA Division III national tournament as recently as 2022. A former member of the GPAC, Nebraska Wesleyan competes as part of the America Rivers Conference. The Bulldogs and Prairie Wolves also met up in 2023 with the result being a doubleheader sweep for Nebraska Wesleyan in Seward.
Peru State sits at 3-13 on the season after finishing the 2024 campaign at 7-37. The Bobcats have already played four GPAC squads and have endured losses to Northwestern, Briar Cliff, Dordt and Dakota Wesleyan. Peru State is hitting .248 with 49 runs scored in 16 games. Meanwhile, the opponents are hitting .344 and have totaled 124 runs. Head Coach Toni Closner is in her second season leading the program. Concordia last matched up with Peru State in Wichita, Kan., in 2022 with the result being an 11-3 victory for the Bulldogs.
Next Week
Conference play will open on March 20 with the Bulldogs headed to 2023 NAIA World Series qualifier Midland (15-2) for a 5 p.m. CT doubleheader in Fremont, Neb.