FREMONT, Neb. – The Bulldogs showed grit in two contests against 22nd-ranked Midland but couldn’t push across the winning run in the opening 11-inning pitchers’ duel on Tuesday (April 14). Concordia University, Nebraska forced the Warriors to go four extra frames before falling in a walk-off (4-3) in game one and lost in game two (8-0, 6 inn.).
With the two losses, the Seward dugout drops to 17-16 overall and 6-8 in the conference.
“I love the way we competed in game one,” Head Coach Brock Culler commented. “Our team should have done better offensively to get a win. When you pitch that good, you have to win. Your teammates, your offense and defense have to find a way to get it done. It was just an incredible missed opportunity for our softball team today. On one hand, we proved to ourselves again that we can compete with the top teams in our league. We got to beat 'em, and that’s all there is to it.”
Junior Pitcher Kaylei Denison declared war on one of the top teams in the GPAC. After giving up three runs (two unearned) in the first five innings, Denison kept the Warriors silent for the following five frames before bowing out in the 11th with another unearned score. The Waverly, Neb., native’s final line showed her poise allowing one earned run on eight hits with five punch outs in 10.1 innings thrown. She threw 148 pitches with 93 inside the strike zone.
Coach Culler added, “Deni, was absolutely incredible. She controlled inside and outside, high and low on every batter she faced. As a coach and somebody who knows her really well, I’m extremely proud of her. She has grasped her role and the fact that she is the dog in the circle for our team.”
The initial contest was a wild one with the placed runner in the 11th frame being the deciding factor of the all-out battle. Midland’s Madison Zach singled to score Isabelle Pagan in a finishing heartbreaker.
Concordia battled to earn extra innings. Down three going into the sixth, the bases were loaded and Aubriana Krieser knocked a sacrifice fly to put the Dawgs down two. In the seventh, Grace “Clutch” Magure was subbed into the batter's box and delivered a two-RBI double to left center scoring Grace Zaugg and the game-tying Laycee Josoff.
The visitors would have opportunities with runners on third but couldn’t go ahead in extras. The bottom of the lineup did the majority of the damage as Maguire (1-for-1), Josoff (2-for-3) and Zaugg (2-for-4) put the pressure on.
In game two, the Bulldogs couldn’t find offense against the Warriors’ Mackenzie Groninga as she only allowed hits from Mary Beth Hart, Taryn Ganstrom and Bailey Merritt. Kierstyn Linn kept the home team virtually silent until it exploded for seven runs in the sixth.
With 11 total frames thrown, Midland relied heavily on Groninga (11 punch outs) as she threw the extras in game one and the full game in the second contest. The Warriors (30-10, 12-2 GPAC) will travel to Morningside in their next doubleheader.
Concordia (17-16, 6-8 GPAC) makes its longest ride to Waldorf (3-31, 1-13 GPAC) on Friday (April 17). The Bulldogs will face the Warriors at 1 p.m. CT in Forest City, Iowa.