SHAWNEE, Kan. – The Bulldogs' bats continually connected for 24 hits in the two outings of the Top Gun Invite on Saturday (Feb. 28). Concordia University, Nebraska routed Mount Mercy University (Iowa), 7-2, and Clarke University (Iowa), 6-1, with quality defense and performances in the circle. Taryn Ganstrom was lethal in game one, including a three-run blast over center field.
Head Coach Brock Culler and company move to 8-6 overall, all in non-conference play.
“Our team did a good job in all three phases of the game,” Coach Culler said. “Our pitching was good and our defense made big plays. Offensively, we were able to get lead-off batters on and string hits together. It was a fun day for our softball team today.”
With the bases loaded in a 1-1 tie (top of the third), Tobi Topp forced a walk, and the Mustangs pitcher threw a wild one to Ganstrom to move all the runners an extra bag. With Topp and Elena Shipley on, Ganstrom struck a moonshot to take a four-bag trip with one stroke and put the Dawgs up big, 6-1.
The shortstop out of Seneca, Kan., showed out for her home state, swinging a perfect 3-for-3 in the opening game. A third-year transfer, Ganstrom laced her second-career homer as a Bulldog. She finished slugging 4-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs.
The pitching staff kept the opposing offenses virtually quiet as Kaylei Denison sat down nine of Mount Mercy’s hitters to earn a single-game career high punchouts. Denison, from Waverly, Neb., threw all seven innings allowing two earned runs and four walks.
“She (Denison) was in control of those hitters. Her off-speed was really working. She set up her change really well with the rise ball. She competed out there today. We challenged our team to get that Dawg in ya, and I saw that in her today.”
Hart remains the consistent lead-off going 5-for-8 with a double, three runs, an RBI and two stolen bases. The freshman Lincoln Southwest product has a .440 batting average through the 14 games.
The Bulldogs' offense exploded for four runs on seven hits in the second and third innings versus the Pride. In the stretch, Laycee Josoff cracked a two-RBI singles as Hart and Aubriana Krieser followed. Kiera Farritor notched an RBI-double in the sixth as the cherry on top.
Kierstyn Linn was one inning away from a shutout, keeping Clarke batters confused being backed by a solid defensive effort. Linn, with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth, took down three straight batters with the help of two outs by Ganstrom and a smart play to throw home for a force out. Linn finished allowing one earned run, three walks and struck out three in six innings inside the circle. Brooke Moore finalized the second game pitching one strikeout and no runs in the last inning.
Krieser (3-for-6), Topp (3-for-6), Farritor (3-for-7) lead in batting outside of Hart and Ganstrom.
Concordia (8-6) will play four games next weekend (March 6-7) at the Friends University Invite. The Bulldogs are set to face Friends (Kan.), Sterling College (Kan.), Bethany College (Kan.) and York University.