SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University, Nebraska Softball Team will compete in three conference doubleheaders as it has a chance to surge up the standings with a successful week against GPAC competition. The Bulldogs will travel to Morningside and Doane before coming back to Plum Creek Park to host Waldorf. CUNE (20-12) went 1-3 against No. 22 Midland and No. 7 Northwestern, moving to a 5-5 record in league play.
Tuesday, April 8 at Morningside (20-12, 8-4 GPAC), 3 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Jensen Softball Complex (Sioux City, Iowa)
Friday, April 11 at Doane (14-18, 6-6 GPAC), 3 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Doane Ballfield Complex (Crete, Neb.)
Saturday, April 12 vs. Waldorf (2-23, 0-8 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Plum Creek Park (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Concordia and Midland each grabbed a shutout in the two-game series, with the home team winning 2-0 in the opener and dropping game two (1-0) in Seward. Star pitcher Megan Eurich (7-7) delivered the blanking as she hurled four strikeouts, zero walks, allowing eight hits in seven innings. Kaylei Denison (7-3) launched a stellar seven frames, allowing one earned run, one walk and five hits in the toss duel. The Bulldogs scored in the second inning when Delanie Voshell singled and crossed the plate on Taryn Ganstrom’s RBI single, claiming a 1-0 lead. An unearned run in the third extended the edge, as Jennifer Katz walked, stole home, and capitalized on a Midland error.
· Against an ultra-talented Northwestern, Concordia committed four errors in game one and couldn’t find its footing in the field being run ruled (9-0) in five innings. With communication breaking down at all three levels of defense, the Red Raiders took advantage with 10 hits and nine runs scored. In game two, Aubrey Bruning hit a two RBI single to put the Dawgs up early. Northwestern responded with five unanswered runs to take a sweep (6-2). Bruning (2-3) in game two and Taryn Ganstrom (2-3) in game one stood out in the batters’ box.
· Kylie Shottenkirk reached No. 5 in the Concordia Softball record books with her double in the first frame against the Red Raiders in game two. The Lincoln North Star alum has totaled 36 over the span of her career. She surpassed Samantha Hellbusch (2005-08) and is one away from tying Laura Fugate (2007-10) at No. 4. A senior infielder, Shottenkirk enters two more lists in CUNE history in career RBIs (87) and hits (146). She sits at No. 15 in RBIs and No. 17 in hits.
· Base swiper Bruning has lifted her way to fourth all-time in career stolen bags. The Lincoln Southeast product totaled 49 after one against NWC and has surpassed Regan Doiel (2012-15). She is one away from matching Stacey Miller (1997-98) at 50 career stolen bases. She is 12-13 this season.
· Others moving up in the program’s history include Eurich, Hanna Bowers, Ganstrom and Jennifer Katz. Eurich, out of Gretna, Neb., has 431 career putouts sitting at No. 4 between Amanda Beeson (2011-14) with 470 and Amanda Hehn (2004-07) with 403. The ace also has 36 career wins (No. 8) and is one away from tying Megan Pleak (2001-04). Hanna Bowers has 30 career doubles and is tied at No. 12 with Kylee Nixon (2019-22) in two-bagger knocks. Ganstrom is tied at No. 7 in singles season triples with five others. Katz, out of Omaha, Neb., has totaled four triples this season and is tied with 12 other performances at No. 13 all-time in singles season. In less than two years, Katz has seven in her career just outside of the top five in the program’s history.
· The standings are mixed with so many teams having played a different number of games. There is little confusion at the top as Northwestern (12-0) remains unbeaten in its conference games. Dakota Wesleyan (9-3) and Morningside (8-4) have played 12 games as Midland (4-2) and Dordt (5-3) remain in catch-up mode. Concordia (5-5), Mount Marty (7-7) and Doane (6-6) are all sitting at .500 in their GPAC records. Hastings (6-8), College of Saint Mary (3-9), Briar Cliff (1-11) and Waldorf (0-8) round out the bottom of the current conference table.
· In the first release of the NAIA Softball RPI, Concordia is 68th with a low strength of schedule (153rd). The Red Raiders are the top team in the GPAC with rated No. 18, significantly lower than the NAIA coaches’ poll. With a strength of schedule at 90th, Northwestern has a 28-5 overall record. Midland (34th), Morningside (46th) and Dakota Wesleyan (54th) round out the top-5 in RPI. Morningside has the top strength of schedule at 52nd.
Opponents
The Mustangs have won five of their last six contests and have compiled a 20-12 overall record and an 8-4 showing in conference play. Morningside has a .332 team batting average and score 5.8 runs a game. With 18 total homers from the Mustangs, Mackenzi Harrel owns eight knocks (3rd in GPAC) over the outfield fence and the second highest conference slugging percentage (.809). Paige Schuster has a team-leading .436 hitting percentage (3rd in GPAC) and a .691 slugging percentage (5th in GPAC). Five Morningside players hit over .350 from the plate. Adeline Fliege is 8-3 and has a 2.44 ERA, fifth in the league, in 71.2 innings pitched. She has 46 strikeouts and allowed 25 earned runs. Morgan Secora (6-4) has a 3.22 ERA in 71.2 frames.
With the Tigers on a four-game losing skid, they have a 14-18 overall slate and a 6-6 record in the GPAC. They will face Midland on Wednesday at Schilke Fields in Fremont on Wednesday. Doane is 3-7 at home and has hit a team .277 batting average with 15 total home runs. With the team averaging 4.5 runs a contest, Grace Dowding leads in hitting percentage (.383), and Bri True leads in slugging percentage (.659) with a team high four homers. Eight Tigers have reached double-digit runs batted in, starting with Marisa Marquez (18) and Jasmine Villegas (14). Faith McDonald (5-11) and Faith Molina (6-6) are the starters in the circle. McDonald has a 3.88 ERA and Molina 2.65 with 93 strikeouts, putting her fourth in the conference.
On eight game losing streak, Waldorf is still looking for its first win in GPAC play (0-8) and has a 2-23 overall showing. The Warriors defeated Lourdes University (Ohio), 5-4, and Dakota State University (S.D.), 14-10, in their two wins. They are set to face Briar Cliff on Wednesday. Waldorf has a .256 team hitting percentage and has 11 home runs with a 3-11 away record. Madison Clark and Kaela Eslinger have a .333 batting average and Eslinger has a team high .436 on-base percentage. Brooke Hickey has five home runs and a .535 slugging percentage. Maddie Dalke (7-12) and Mckenna Mentink (1-13) have combined for 38 starts. Dalke has thrown 76 strikeouts and 34 walks in 114 innings pitched.
Up next
Concordia will host Dordt and then Mount Marty for senior day on Easter weekend. All four games will be played in Seward, Neb., at Plum Creek Park.