Bulldogs stay on top in GPAC standings with sweep of Hastings College
Concordia University picked up a pair of 7-2 GPAC softball wins over Hastings College on Tuesday evening in Hastings. The Bulldogs improved to 20-10 overall and remained on top in the GPAC standings with a 9-3 mark. Hastings slipped to 16-14 overall and 5-5 in GPAC play.
Game one saw Concordia pull away for the win in the final two innings. The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth with three consecutive doubles to start the inning. Nicole Baker (Arvada, Colo.) started the inning with a double, and she scored on an RBI double by Mikaela Klein (Grand Island, Neb.). Clarissa Eloge (Rising City, Neb.) followed with an RBI double that scored Klein, and Concordia had the 2-0 advantage.
The lead was short lived, as Hastings quickly responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. The Broncos totaled three hits in the inning and also took advantage of a Concordia error. Molly Mullervy had an RBI single in the inning for Hastings.
Concordia reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning. With one out, Baker reached on a Hastings College error and advanced to second on a stolen base. With two outs in the inning, Eloge delivered a clutch RBI double to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead.
From there, the Bulldogs poured it on in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs on five hits for the final score of 7-2. Shelby Morose (Claremore, Okla.), Natalie Svoboda (Lincoln, Neb.) and Klein all had RBI singles, while Baker added an RBI sacrifice fly in the Concordia seventh.
Amanda Beeson (Waverly, Neb.) improved to 4-4 with the win on the mound. She allowed the two runs (one earned) on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Eloge and Klein had two hits and two RBI’s apiece to lead the way offensively.
Concordia trailed early but rallied in the late innings for the win in game two. The Broncos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Rochelle Finnigan delivered an RBI double, and Candice Connolly added an RBI single in the inning for Hastings.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth. Concordia scored six runs on six hits and one Hastings error to take control of the game. Morose and Svoboda singled to lead off the inning. Baker followed with an RBI double. Eloge added a 2-run double and following a walk to Nicole Mapes (Greeley, Colo.), Alyssa Bauwens (Perryville, Mo.) connected on a 3-run homer to give Concordia a 6-2 advantage.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the sixth. With two outs in the inning, Klein smacked a solo homer for the final score of 7-2. Concordia finished with 13 hits in the game. Bauwens was 3-for-4 with three RBI’s and a run scored to lead the way. Eloge was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI’s, while Mapes also had two hits in the win.
Nicole Sempek (Columbus, Neb.) worked all seven innings to pick up the win on the mound. It was Sempek’s 50th career win in a Bulldog uniform. The junior allowed the two runs on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts to improve to 11-3 on the year.
Concordia hosts Northwestern College on April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Plum Creek Park. Sioux Falls comes to Seward on April 16 with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. There will be audio webcasts of the April 15 games.