Bulldogs end Florida Trip by splitting with Eckerd
The Concordia University, Nebraska, softball squad wrapped up its spring break trip to Florida by splitting a doubleheader with Eckerd College on Wednesday, March 14. Concordia took the first game, 7-5, but fell 6-2 in the finale.
Following Wednesday’s action the Bulldogs are 4-6 on the season, while the Tritons moved to 9-21.
Game One: Concordia 7, Eckerd 5
Concordia took control of the game in the top of the fourth, plating four runs on five hits and an error. Freshman Molly Madsen (Thornton, Colo.) got the Bulldogs going in the third, reaching first on an error. Madsen went to second on a wild pitch, then senior Mikaela Klein (Grand Island, Neb.) followed with a single up the middle to give Concordia a 1-0 lead.
One out later, the Bulldog's hit parade began to march. Junior Natalie Svoboda (Lincoln, Neb.) (Lincoln, Neb.) punched a single up the middle, then sophomore Shelby Morose (Claremore, Okla.) laced an RBI double down the left field line to bring in Klein. Junior Angela Harstad (Lewiston, Minn.) brought home Svoboda on a safety squeeze to make it 3-0. Finally senior Alyssa Bauwens (Perryville, Mo.) singled home Morose with a line drive to right.
Eckerd chipped away with two runs in the fourth and the sixth, but the Bulldogs kept the lead by adding an unearned run in the top of the sixth.
Leading 5-4 heading into the final frame, Concordia put the game away with two insurance runs, sophomore Amanda Baldwin (Wilber, Neb.) delivered the big blow with an RBI triple to right.
Senior Nicole Sempek (Columbus, Neb.) picked up the victory (4-1), allowing five runs on nine hits over seven innings.
Eckerd's Kaitlyn Dougherty suffered the loss, giving up four runs on five hits in three innings.
Game Two: Eckerd 6, Concordia 2
A wild second inning that featured a combined seven runs told the story of game two. The visiting Bulldogs scored on an RBI double from Madsen and an RBI ground out from junior Nicole Mapes (Greely, Colo.).
The Tritons answered back with five runs on four hits and an error in the bottom half of the frame. Eckerd added an insurance run in the fifth to claim the game, 6-2.
Eckerd’s Whitney Bernier collected the win, scattering 10 hits and allowing just two runs in seven innings.
Concordia sophomore Amanda Beeson (Waverly, Neb.) suffered the loss (0-4), allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings.
Concordia returns home to face Peru State in a doubleheader on Monday, March 19 at 4 p.m.