SEWARD, Neb. – Contender or pretender? That question just might be answered on Tuesday when the Concordia University softball team will have a chance to declare itself as a legitimate threat to win the GPAC regular season title. The Bulldogs were unsuccessful last week at Morningside in their attempt to knock off one of the league’s regular championship level squads. However, head coach Shawn Semler’s team recovered nicely by winning four times in Sioux City, Iowa, over the weekend.
This Week
Tuesday, April 16 at No. 20 Midland (20-6, 10-2) – DH
3 p.m. | Central Park Softball Complex | Fremont, Neb.
Links: Webcast
Saturday, April 20 at Hastings (10-20, 2-10) – DH
1 p.m. | Smith Softball Complex | Hastings, Neb.
Links: Webcast/Stats
At 9-3 (20-6 overall) in conference play, Concordia remains hot on the heels of both Morningside (12-2) and Midland (10-2) at the top of the GPAC standings. The Bulldogs took care of business this past Saturday and Sunday by sweeping doubleheaders from Briar Cliff and Mount Marty. In those four games, Concordia put up a combined 37 runs while following the lead of sophomore third baseman Hhana Haro. The reigning GPAC Player of the Year, Haro sizzled at the plate last week, going a combined 10-for-20 with a home run and nine RBIs. The native of Garden Grove, Calif., is now hitting .415 and slugging .634 this season.
The lineup features plenty of other stars. Tori Homolka has been a consistent force out of the leadoff spot. Last week she blasted a pair of home runs, including a grand slam in one of the two blowouts of Briar Cliff. Homolka is hitting .436 with 19 extra base hits (10 doubles, five home runs, four triples). The lineup gets even scarier if freshman Camry Moore can hit for the power she flashed in game two at Briar Cliff when she struck for the first two home runs of her college career. Fellow freshman Kylee Nixon also homered at Briar Cliff and went 6-for-11 over the final three games of the weekend road trip. She is 19-for-41 (.463) at the plate this season.
One of the biggest keys to Concordia’s pitching success (team 3.14 ERA) has been the pinpoint control of Moore and senior Brittany Woolridge. The Bulldogs have had a massive advantage in the walk department, having drawn 93 and having issued only 27 (169.1 innings pitched). Moore has walked a grand total of six hitters in 79.2 innings. The Crete High School product fired an eight-inning complete game an surrendered just one run in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader versus Mount Marty. In terms of ERA, Moore (3.16) and Woolridge (2.93) have produced similar results.
Midland began conference play at 9-0 before slipping up in two of its last three games. The defeats were surprising in that they came against opponents with records well below .500 – College of Saint Mary and Briar Cliff. This is an especially significant week for the Warriors, who not only play Concordia on Tuesday, but also host Morningside on Thursday. The GPAC title race should be in a much clear focus by week’s end. Midland has been terrific in the circle with Jaylee Hinrichs (12-3, 0.80 ERA) serving as the ace. At the plate, Katlin Anders (GPAC best .526 batting average) is a tough out.
Hastings has been scuffling with its losing streak currently at nine. The main culprit has been an inability to hold down the opposition (208 runs allowed in 183 innings). The most recent victory for the Broncos was a 3-0 decision over Dordt on April 5. The team’s top hitter has been Alyssa Carter, who is batting .356 and slugging .515. As a whole, Hastings has not been a powerful offense with the team slugging percentage sitting at .369. The Broncos are coming off a 10-34 record in 2018.
Just three doubleheaders will remain on the schedule for Concordia once it finishes up this week’s action. It’s been a light home slate in 2018 (in part due to the weather), but the Bulldogs will close the regular season with their final four games at Plum Creek Park.