SEWARD, Neb. – Already having started the week with a home doubleheader versus College of Saint Mary, there’s a lot more yet to come for Concordia University Softball. The Bulldogs will look for consistency as they play at Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday before coming back home for doubleheaders with Jamestown on Friday and Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday. The Saturday twin bill will mark the end of the regular season home schedule and will be used to honor seniors Camry Moore and Kylee Nixon. Head Coach Tatum Edwards’ squad enters Tuesday’s games at 16-14 overall (5-5 GPAC).
This Week
Tuesday, April 5 at Nebraska Wesleyan (12-5), 5 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast
Friday, April 8 vs. Jamestown (16-14, 3-3 GPAC), 5 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast/Stats
Saturday, April 9 vs. Dakota Wesleyan (9-20, 1-7 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH (Senior Day)
--Live Webcast/Stats
By the numbers
· The Bulldogs have completed five of their 11 scheduled conference doubleheaders and are hovering in the middle of the GPAC standings. According to the official GPAC ratings released on Monday, the top four teams in the league are Morningside, Midland, Jamestown and Northwestern. Concordia certainly looked like it belonged on the same field last week as Northwestern. Camry Moore held the Red Raiders to just one run on two hits in a sterling complete game as part of game one. In that 3-1 Bulldog victory, Kylie Shottenkirk came through with a clutch three-run homer in the sixth that proved to be the game winner. Concordia was swept by Midland but still has yet to play Morningside or Jamestown.
· Moore has always excelled as a Bulldog, but she’s taken things to a new level of late. The Crete High School product has allowed just one earned run over her last three starts (three complete games) while dominating conference opponents. In GPAC games only, Moore has made six pitching appearances (36 innings) and owns a 0.58 ERA to go along with 29 strikeouts and two walks. Conference foes are hitting .213 against her. The precise control of Moore continues to be a marvel. She has walked only five batters in 92 innings overall this season. Among GPAC players, Moore ranks third in overall season ERA (1.60). At the plate, she ranks fourth in the league in batting average (.456).
· Moore keeps rising up the program’s all-time rankings. From a pitching perspective, Moore sports school career rankings of second in ERA (2.00), third in wins (49), sixth in innings pitched (436.2) and seventh in strikeouts (308). As a hitter, Moore ranks fifth in RBIs (112), seventh in home runs (14), seventh in runs scored (109) and 10th in doubles (29). Recently, Moore eclipsed 300 career strikeouts. She still has a shot at becoming the program’s all-time leader for lowest ERA if she can move hers below the 1.95 ERA of Celine Lassaigne.
· As part of a home doubleheader on Saturday, the Bulldogs will celebrate seniors Camry Moore and Kylee Nixon (listed as juniors in terms of playing eligibility). Both Moore and Nixon have been key parts of the team since they arrived in the fall of 2018. The duo has helped the program to a combined four-year record of 88-41 with a national tournament appearance in 2021 (after reaching the GPAC Championship Series). In 120 career games, Nixon has batted .347 (121-for-349) with 89 runs scored, 27 doubles, nine home runs, 68 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. On last season’s honor roll, Moore was named First Team All-GPAC while Nixon was chosen as Honorable Mention All-GPAC.
· What Moore provides has been stable and constant. The progress of those around her will have a lot to do with how successful Concordia can be as a team. Among the freshmen, first baseman/DP Zoie Isom and shortstop Kylie Shottenkirk have been the most dependable players. Over the past six games, Shottenkirk has gone 8-for-18 (.444) with a home run and seven RBIs while heating back up. Meanwhile, Isom leads the team with three homers on the season. The native of Fillmore, Calif., has flashed a powerful bat. She belted a grand slam in the 6-1 win over Doane and then crushed a booming two-run shot in Monday’s doubleheader.
· As the No. 2 pitcher, Jerzi Rowe has proven capable of winning within the GPAC. Back on March 26, Rowe fired a seven-inning complete game and allowed just two runs on seven hits in a 4-2 win over Dordt. The Gretna, Neb., native has worked three complete games this season and owns a 5-6 record and 4.68 ERA in 55.1 innings. Brooke Townsend (25.1 IP) and Megan Eurich (23.1 IP) have added depth to the pitching staff.
The opponents
The doubleheader with Nebraska Wesleyan has been rescheduled three different times. The former GPAC member Prairie Wolves are 12-5 with two of the losses having come recently at Hastings. One of NWU’s top players is a former Bulldog in Val Gerlach, who is hitting .404 with a home run and 21 RBIs. Head Coach Mary Yori is in her seventh season leading the program, which is coming off a 16-21 record in 2021.
Jamestown went 34-13 last season and finished in a tie with Concordia for third in the GPAC. Like the Bulldogs, the Jimmies recently split a doubleheader with CSM. Jamestown ended the month of March by taking a game from 24th-ranked Morningside. Kevin Gall is in his 22nd season as head coach at Jamestown, where he led the program to a school record 44 wins in 2018. The Jimmies have a lockdown ace of their own in Kat Miska, who is 9-3 with a 2.06 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 74.2 innings.
Dakota Wesleyan has struggled to a 1-7 start to GPAC play with the lone win coming at Mount Marty on March 19. The Tigers have a new head coach in Derek Lien. As one of the team’s top players, Alyssa Burke has produced 41 hits in 106 at bats (.387 batting average). McKinnely Mull paces the squad with 21 RBIs. The pitching staff sports an ERA of 7.01.
Next week
In the only outing of next week, the Bulldogs will be at No. 24 Morningside for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on April 12.