SEWARD, Neb. – After enjoying a brief four-game home stand, the Concordia University softball team will be back on the road this week for a trio of GPAC doubleheaders. Up next is a journey to Sioux City, Iowa, for a showdown with perennial league power Morningside on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will also be at Briar Cliff on Friday and at Mount Marty on Saturday. As long as the weather holds up, Concordia will play 30 percent of its league schedule in this week alone.
This Week
Tuesday, April 9 at Morningside (15-6, 8-2) – DH
3 p.m. | Jensen Softball Complex | Sioux City, Iowa
Links: Webcast | Stats
Friday, April 12 at Briar Cliff (7-18, 2-8) – DH
3 p.m. | Bishop Mueller Field | Sioux City, Iowa
Links: Webcast
Saturday, April 13 at Mount Marty (17-17, 8-6) – DH
1 p.m. | Riverside Softball Diamonds | Yankton, S.D.
Links: Webcast
This week will help decide whether head coach Shawn Semler’s squad is a serious contender for the GPAC regular season title. In the official conference poll released today (April 8) by the NAIA, the Bulldogs (16-4, 5-1 GPAC) checked in at No. 2 behind defending GPAC champion Midland. In last week’s action, Concordia won three of four during a weekend stay at home against the likes of Jamestown and Dakota Wesleyan. After being no-hit in an 11-1 loss in game one against Jamestown, the Bulldogs rebounded and won the next three contests. Picked fifth in the GPAC preseason poll after finishing seventh in the league in 2018, the Bulldogs are primed for a move up the standings.
Entering the week, the Bulldogs lead the GPAC in runs scored per game (7.10), just in front of Morningside (7.05). The most consistent offensive forces for Concordia have been first baseman/shortstop Tori Homolka and third baseman Hhana Haro. Homolka has been so good this season that her season batting average actually went down after a 6-for-14 weekend at the plate. Homolka is the GPAC leader in hits per game (1.65) and slugging percentage (.817). Meanwhile, Haro is coming off a five-hit doubleheader versus Dakota Wesleyan. It has taken her only 61 games to reach 100 hits in her Concordia career.
In all three conference doubleheaders to this point, Semler has given the ball in the circle to Camry Moore in game one and Brittany Woolridge in game two. Both experienced struggles against Jamestown before tightening things up in a pair of run rule wins over Dakota Wesleyan. The staff strikeout rate of 4.35 per game is not particularly high, but Moore and Woolridge have done a nice job of inducing weak contact that has been eaten up by a solid defensive squad. Moore (5-4, 3.62 ERA) and Woolridge (8-0, 2.56 ERA) have combined to cover 112.2 of the team’s 130.1 innings pitched.
Morningside is always a threat in the GPAC. Last season was a rare instance in which the Mustangs missed out on the national tournament. Jessica Jones-Sitzmann’s squad will test the Concordia pitching staff. Morningside is hitting .338 with a .515 slugging percentage. Rebecca Riley (.412) and Ellie Cropley (.400) are both hitting .400 or better. The team’s ace pitcher is Hallie Misiaszek (8-2, 1.87 ERA).
Briar Cliff has lost six games in a row since a doubleheader sweep of Jamestown on March 29. Following a 5-32 overall record last season, the Chargers brought in Erin Bly as new head coach. The pitching has been solid (team 3.30 ERA), but the hitting has struggled (.214 batting average and 78 runs scored in 26 games). Alayna Allen sports a 2.01 ERA in 62.2 innings of work.
On the other hand, Mount Marty can swing it. The Lancers average 6.4 runs per game led by the likes of Makenzi Howard (.455 BA, .747 SLG%, 36 RBIs) and Amber Writer (.405 BA, .730 SLG%, 8 HR, 52 RBIs). Mount Marty also allows its fair share of runs – 179 in 34 games. The Lancers are coming off a doubleheader sweep of College of Saint Mary that followed two losses to Morningside.
Next week the Bulldogs will be at No. 21 Midland on April 16 and at Hastings on April 20. The next home date on the schedule is April 24 versus College of Saint Mary.