Bulldogs fall twice to visiting Briar Cliff
SEWARD, Neb. – Head coach Frank Greene’s Bulldogs were unable to carry over momentum from their Saturday doubleheader sweep of Mount Marty as Briar Cliff eked out a pair of tight games over Concordia on Sunday afternoon. The Charges, who won by scores of 5-4 and 2-0, triumphed by a combined three runs in the twin bill. The Bulldogs fell to 11-20 overall and 5-7 in GPAC games.
Concordia appeared in good shape for a third-straight victory when it took a 3-1 lead after four innings in Sunday’s game one. Pitcher Julia Tyree got the bottom of the fourth started with a leadoff double. She then scored on third baseman Allyson Porath’s RBI ground out. Nicole Mapes then widened the lead to two runs with an RBI single to score Amanda Baldwin, who tripled immediately prior.
Unfortunately, Tyree, who fired a complete game, couldn’t hold the lead as the Chargers tallied two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings to go in front 5-3. Emma Verge delivered the big blow with a two-run single to left that proved to be the game winner for Briar Cliff.
The seventh inning began promisingly with Mapes tripling and then scoring on Angela Harstad’s RBI single to pull Concordia within a run. Briar Cliff’s Jennifer Belluscio relieved starter Elizabeth Bye and recorded the final three outs to shut the door and earn the save. Belluscio retired all three hitters she faced, getting catcher Amber Topil to ground out to end the game.
Belluscio was the story of game two as she turned around and tossed a three-hit shutout to headline the Chargers’ 2-0 victory in game two. The Bulldogs had a runner in scoring position only three times and never even reached third base as Belluscio dominated.
Concordia’s Amanda Beeson pitched a fine game herself in the capper. She allowed only two runs on eight hits and no walks. Beeson and Tyree combined to surrender only four earned runs in 14 innings of work on Sunday.
Mapes had a big game one with a 3-for-4 game that included an RBI and a run. Designated hitter Molly Madsen and Tyree also notched two hits in the opening contest. The Harstad sisters – Angela and Danielle – cracked the Bulldogs’ only two hits in the second game.
Catcher Deann Ayala (5-for-7, three RBIs) and right fielder Emma Verge (4-for-6, three RBIs, one run) starred at the plate for Briar Cliff, who ran its record to 9-13 overall and 5-7 in GPAC play.
The Bulldogs have four GPAC doubleheaders remaining on the regular-season schedule, including three on the road this week. Concordia returns to play on Tuesday when it travels to Fremont, Neb., to take on Midland (14-19, 8-6 GPAC) in a twin bill set to begin at 5 p.m.