Bulldogs swept by Morningside College

Concordia University and Morningside College battled in a GPAC softball doubleheader today on a windy day in Sioux City.  Morningside swept the Bulldogs to increase their lead in the GPAC standings.  Scores were 5-4 and 7-0.  With the wins, the Mustangs improved to 35-8 overall and 16-4 in conference play.  Concordia has now lost three straight and dropped to 23-15 overall and 12-8 in conference play.    

Morningside rallied for the win in game one.  Concordia took an early lead in the top of the first inning.  With one out, Natalie Svoboda (Lincoln, Neb.) smacked a solo homer to give Concordia a 1-0 advantage.  It was Svoboda’s third homer of the year.  Morningside answered with a solo homer in the third.  Kati Steffen’s sixth blast of the year tied the score at 1-1.

The Bulldogs took a 3-1 advantage in the top of the fifth.  Alyssa Bauwens (Perryville, Mo.) reached base with a double.  With two outs in the inning, freshman Amber Topil (Seward, Neb.) came through with a 2-run homer to center.  It was Topil’s first homer of the year.

Concordia added to its lead with another run in the sixth inning.  Nicole Baker (Arvada, Colo.) and Svoboda singled to lead off the inning.  A Morningside error allowed Baker to score, and Concordia took a 4-1 lead.  Concordia still had runners at second and third with nobody out, but the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize.  Mikaela Klein (Grand Island, Neb.) lined out to second.  Nicole Mapes (Greeley, Colo.) grounded out to third, and Bauwens grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning. 

The Mustangs used three hits and a Concordia error to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth.  Alison Kusler doubled to lead off the inning, and a Concordia throwing error put runners at second and third.  A sacrifice fly by Kylie Helmink made the score 4-2.  Jordan Johnson followed with a 2-run homer to center which tied the game at 4-4.  Johnson’s homer forced Bulldog starter Amanda Beeson out of the game, and Nicole Sempek entered in relief.  In the first at bat following the pitching change, Mackenzie Neely delivered a solo homer to center to put Morningside on top.  The Bulldogs were unable to rally in the seventh. 

Concordia totaled seven hits in the loss.  Svoboda had two hits with an RBI and a run scored.  Beeson allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.  Sempek (Columbus, Neb.) took the loss in relief and dropped to 12-6.  Emma Remy improved to 15-2 with the win for Morningside.  She went the distance and allowed four runs (three earned) and the seven hits with three strikeouts. 

The Bulldog offense was nonexistent in game two, and Morningside used two big innings to pull away for the 7-0 win.  Concordia finished with just one hit off Jordan Johnson, who improved to 14-4 on the mound for the Mustangs.  Johnson worked all seven innings and struck out six. 

Morningside took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on a 3-run blast by Kirsten Dargy.  The Mustangs tacked on four more in the fifth.  Johnson had an RBI single, and Courtney Vaughn added a 2-run double in the Morningside fifth inning. 

Baker had the only hit of the game for Concordia.  Sempek dropped to 12-7 with the loss.  She allowed the seven runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings of work. 

Vaughn was the offensive star of the game for Morningside.  She was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI’s and a run scored. 

Concordia travels to Mount Marty College on Saturday to conclude regular season play.  Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Yankton.  The Concordia Sports Network will cover the games with audio webcasts.  Mike Meyer will call the action.