Bulldogs split doubleheader at Nebraska Wesleyan
The Concordia University, Nebraska, softball team split a doubleheader at Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday, April 18. Concordia took game one of the evening 2-0, behind a complete game shutout by senior Nicole Sempek (Columbus, Neb.). The Bulldogs dropped the second game, 5-4.
Following Wednesday's play, Concordia is 12-14 on the season and 6-4 in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) games. Nebraska Wesleyan moved to 10-14 overall and 4-4 in GPAC action.
Game One: Concordia 2, Nebraska Wesleyan 0
The first game was a pitcher’s duel as Sempek and the Prairie Wolves' Brenna Maguire each limited the opposing offense to just two hits through five innings.
Sempek allowed a single in the first, then set down 14 consecutive Nebraska Wesleyan hitters before allowing another single in the fifth.
Maguire, meanwhile, worked around a base runner in every inning but the third.
The Bulldogs put together a string of runners with one out in the sixth. Sophomore Shelby Morose (Claremore, Okla.) got things started with a bunt single. The next batter, freshman Regan Doiel (Millard, Neb.) used her speed to force an errant throw by Maguire on a sacrifice bunt, putting runners on first and second. The Prairie Wolves' defense continued to have problems as senior Alyssa Bauwens (Perryville, Mo.) reached on a fielder's choice, loading the bases.
Freshman Molly Madsen (Thornton, Colo.) made the most of the opportunity, lifting a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Morose. Sophomore Amanda Baldwin (Wilber, Neb.) continued to apply pressure, smacking a ground ball to shortstop that was mishandled, bringing home Doiel to make it 2-0.
In the bottom half of the inning, Sempek surrender back-to-back hits as Kayla Randel drove a two-out single up the middle, then Becky Bomberger lifted a double into right-center. Sempek got out of the jam with a lazy fly ball to right.
Sempek breezed through the seventh to earn her ninth win (9-6) of the season, limiting the Prairie Wolves to five hits in the games. She notched four strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
Maguire dropped to 4-9 on the year as she allowed two unearned runs on three hits and a walk.
Game Two: Nebraska Wesleyan 5, Concordia 4
The second game saw Maguire return to the circle for Nebraska Wesleyan, while Concordia countered with sophomore Amanda Beeson (Waverly, Neb.).
The Prairie Wolves offense struck early with a run in the bottom of the first inning, then two more in the fourth, building a 3-0 lead.
Concordia came back in the top of the fifth, thanks in part to the Nebraska Wesleyan defense. With one out in the inning, junior Natalie Svoboda (Lincoln, Neb.) reached on an error by the third baseman. Morose was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second and one out later, Bauwens made it hurt with towering three-run home run to left field. It was Bauwens team leading third home run of the season and tied the game at 3-3.
The Prairie Wolves, unfortunately, reclaimed the lead on four consecutive singles in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore catcher Amber Topil (Seward, Neb.) helped limit the damage to just one run as she cut down a runner trying to steal third.
Topil continued to shine in the top of the sixth, leading the inning off with a ground rule double to left. Two outs later she came in to tie the game at 4-4 on an RBI single to center by Svoboda.
The Nebraska Wesleyan bats, however, remained hot with two more hits in the sixth, including the eventual game winning RBI knock by Maguire.
Beeson Fell to 3-8 on the season with the loss, surrendering five runs on 11 hits and a walk in six innings.
Maguire moved to 5-9, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks in seven innings.
The Bulldogs are back in action on Friday, April 20 as Concordia travels to Yankton, South Dakota for a doubleheader against Mount Marty.