Shawnee, Kan. – Megan Eurich and Taryn Ganstrom shut down the opposing offenses on Sunday (March 2) as the Dawgs surged to back to back wins at Mid-America Sports Complex. Concordia University, Nebraska Softball defeated Graceland University (Kan.), 2-0, in a pitchers’ dual and Park University (Mo.), 4-2. Eurich dealt out 11 strikeouts in her performance versus the Yellow Jackets.
The Bulldogs leave the Top Gun Invite with a 3-3 record and have an 8-6 overall showing through 14 games.
“Our approach to hitting in the last game was so much better than the previous three games,” said Head Coach Brock Culler. “We struggled offensively against Graceland. We had to really scrap to get those two runs. We were putting the bat on the ball against Park and our discipline was a lot better. Defensively, our team was solid. They play really well, and had three highlight plays against Park. It was good to end the weekend with two wins like that.”
With two outs in the top of the seventh and the score knotted at zero, Delanie Voshell cracked a single to right field and Jennifer Katz made the two-bag sprint to break the tie in the final inning. Grace Maguire would tack on (RBI single) for good measure and that would be enough for the game one triumph. Katz and Voshell would make those two scampers a no-play at the plate after both stole second before the RBI hits.
Eurich, the ace from Gretna, Neb., wouldn’t allow a single hit until the seventh. After her 11 Ks, the senior in the circle has 374 career strikeouts and finished the shutout with only two walks.
Coach Culler said, “She had all her pitches working really well. Her set up pitches were great and her finish pitches were solid. They didn’t square anything up all day. Megs had a great day today.”
Game two versus Park was just the opposite as Ganstrom (2-RBI) and Katz (3rd-season) blasted no-doubters past the outfield wall, jumping up 3-0 early. Katz (2-for-3), an Omaha, Neb. native, also doubled in the sixth and was pushed across home plate via Voshell again.
Ganstrom (2-1) got the start in the circle against the Pirates and pitched five scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the final. The Nemaha Central alum hurled seven frames while giving up one earned run, a walk, five hits and struck out three batters.
The defense stood tall in both games and combined for only one error in the 14 innings played. Maguire went 2-for-3 in game one plus Kylie Shottenkirk and Ganstrom each laid a sacrifice bunt. Katz (3-for-5), Maguire (2-for-5) and Voshell (2-for-6) led the day in batting average.
The Yellow Jackets Heart all-conference pitcher Sammi Bradshaw led in the circle with 15 strikeouts, one earned run and no walks in seven innings. The Pirates had five different players with one hit in the last outing of the day.
Concordia (8-6) will attend its final invitational in Tucson, Ariz., from March 9-13. The Bulldogs will play eight games in the five days at Lincoln Park, starting with William Penn University (10-4) of Iowa on Sunday.