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SEWARD, Neb. – In week two of the regular season for Concordia University Softball, the Bulldogs will be headed south to Kansas for two nonconference road doubleheaders. Head Coach Brock Culler is prepping his team to go up against the University of Saint Mary (Kan.) on Saturday and Benedictine College (Kan.) on Sunday. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-2 season opening weekend at the Kansas City NAIA Softball Invite.
This Week
Saturday, Feb. 25 at Saint Mary (4-3), 1 p.m. DH
--Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Location: USM Softball Complex (Leavenworth, Kan.)
Sunday, Feb. 26 at Benedictine (1-3), 12 p.m. DH
--Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Location: Benedictine Softball Field (Atchison, Kan.)
By the numbers
· As part of the Kansas City NAIA Softball Invite, Concordia earned wins over Missouri Valley College (Mo.), 6-3, and Benedictine, 5-2, while the losses came at the hands of MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.), 11-6, and Baker University (Kan.). Culler takes over a program that finished last season at 23-24 overall and returned two All-GPAC players in Caitlin McGarvie (first team) and Zoie Isom (honorable mention).
· Sophomore Megan Eurich opened some eyes with her pitching performances last week. Both of her outings resulted in complete game victories. The native of Gretna, Neb., allowed three runs on nine hits (no walks) and struck out four in seven innings versus Missouri Valley. She came back the next day to fire seven innings, surrendering two runs on six hits and two walks while notching eight strikeouts. Eurich is taking on an increased role after she appeared in 17 games last season and covered a total of 42.2 innings. Other pitchers who saw action last week were Jerzi Rowe (7.2 innings) and Brooke Townsend (4.1 innings).
· From a hitting perspective, Hanna Bowers led Concordia last week with five hits. She went 5-for-11 with two RBIs. Other Bulldogs with at least three hits at the KC Invite were Zoie Isom (4-for-12), Kylie Shottenkirk (4-for-12), Taylor Glause (4-for-14), Aubrey Bruning (3-for-4) and Julia Van Wey (3-for-11). Glause and Isom both drove in four runs. Glause added two doubles. The team’s leading returning hitter, McGarvie, was held out of action on Sunday as a precaution. She’s expected to make a return to the lineup soon. McGarvie needs four more hits to reach 100 for her career.
· As of Wednesday (Feb. 22) morning, Saint Mary stands at 4-3 overall while Benedictine is 1-3. The Bulldogs and Ravens will be familiar with one another having just faced off at the KC Invite. USM is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference while Benedictine is affiliated with the Heart of America Athletic Conference (both of the NAIA). Concordia also played twin bills at the home sites of those two opponents last season. It split with both USM and Benedictine.
Next week
The Bulldogs will be hitting the road for spring break starting on Friday, March 3. Concordia will play four games in Wichita, Kan., (March 3-4) before then traveling to Tucson, Ariz., for nine games at the Tucson Invitational (March 7-10).