TUCSON, Ariz. – Spring break at the Tucson Invitational is underway for the Concordia University Softball team. An 11-run fifth-inning sparked a victory in the Bulldogs’ first contest on Tuesday (March 7) in sunny Tucson, Ariz. With the help of a four-hit game from Caitlyn McGarvie, Concordia defeated NCAA Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.), 11-10. A rough start in the second game doomed the Bulldogs to a 6-3 loss at the hands of NAIA Park University-Gilbert.
The defeat to cap the day halted what had been a four-game win streak for Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad. Concordia will enter day two of the Tucson Invite at 7-7 overall.
“It was a bit of a mess, but we got through it,” Culler said of the victory in the day’s first game. “It was a sloppy game for both teams, but we hit the ball really well. Mo Berner came in and that bases-clearing shot she had was huge. Jerzi threw well, then things got away in the middle innings before she settled in again. We had two outs (in the bottom of the seventh) and the tying run trying to score from second and Caitlyn McGarvie threw her out. There was a lot of excitement for that.”
McGarvie’s strike cut down the potential tying run saved the game after the Bulldogs had built an 11-4 lead thanks to their 11-run top of the fifth. The run-scoring hits during that outburst came from McGarvie (RBI double), Taylor Glause (RBI single), Kylie Shottenkirk (two-run single), Julia Van Wey (RBI single), Montgomery Berner (three-run double), Hanna Bowers (two-run double) and McGarvie (RBI single) again. In total, the Bulldogs sent 14 batters to the plate during that half inning.
Concordia did just enough to make that production stand up. Rowe worked 5.1 innings and allowed nine runs (six earned) on 10 hits to go with three strikeouts. Townsend then got the final five outs and earned credit for the save. The pitching staff was backed by four players with multiple hits: McGarvie (4-for-5), Delanie Voshell (3-for-3), Van Wey (2-for-4) and Bowers (2-for-5).
In the second game, the Bulldogs got behind 6-0 and never recovered. As a positive, Concordia fought back with a Shottenkirk single that plated a run in the second and a two-run double from Alexis Tachovsky in the third. Van Wey notched two hits in the game. In the circle, Megan Eurich locked in after the shaky first two frames and threw a seven-inning complete game. She shut down the Buccaneers for each of the final five innings.
Said Culler, “The first two innings were not good. We had a chat after that and our team settled in and competed hard. I love the way we finished that game. Megs threw outstanding those last four innings. Offensively, we hit it hard right at them. We competed today – this team’s got it. They’re getting it, they’re doing a good job.”
The Bulldogs will continue action from the Tucson Invitational on Wednesday with two more games. Those contests are slated for 11 a.m. MT (12 p.m. CT) versus Dickinson State University (N.D.) and 1:30 p.m. MT (2:30 p.m. CT) versus Siena Heights University (Mich.). The location will be Field 5 at Lincoln Park in Tucson.