Softball welcomes Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday for senior day

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University softball team will complete the 2014 regular season on Saturday when it hosts a GPAC doubleheader with Dakota Wesleyan (17-15, 8-8 GPAC). Five Bulldog seniors will be honored during a ceremony between games as part of senior day.

Both games will be webcast live via the Concordia Sports Network. Mike Meyer will call the action. The first pitch is set for 12 p.m.

Conference race
At 11-7 in the GPAC, head coach Todd LaVelle’s squad sits tied for third in the league standings. The Bulldogs are 1.5 games behind second place Northwestern (12-5) and 2.0 games in back of first place Morningside (12-4). The top eight teams in the league standings advance to the conference tournament set to take place May 1-3 at the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Neb. For more details on the GPAC tournament, click HERE.

Pitching and defense carry Bulldogs in conference play
With Concordia hitting .244 and averaging 3.8 runs per game through 18 GPAC contests, LaVelle’s club has relied heavily upon pitching and defense to stay near the top of the conference standings. Comparing stats from GPAC games only, the Bulldogs lead the league in fielding percentage (.960) and rank second in earned run average (2.22).

Pitchers Amanda Beeson (7-4, 1.83 ERA in GPAC games) and Julia Tyree (4-3, 2.27 ERA) have both elevated their performance in conference play, providing one of the league’s top 1-2 punches. Beeson has been arguably the top pitcher in the conference, ranking first in innings (143), strikeouts (137) and fewest walks per seven innings (1.22), second in wins (13), fifth in ERA (2.35) and eighth in opponent batting average (.251).

Making history
This year’s team was the first in school history to begin a season with nine-straight wins. The Bulldogs’ current .703 winning percentage (26-11) ranks third best in program history behind only the 2008 (31-11, .738) and 1998 teams (33-10, .767). With 26 wins, Concordia still has a shot to become the fifth team in school history to win 30 or more in a season.

Winningest seasons in team history (overall wins)
1. 2005 – 36-19 (.654)
2. 2003 – 34-16 (.680)
3. 1998 – 33-10 (.767)
4. 2008 – 31-11 (.738)
5. 1997 – 29-22 (.569)
6. 2011 – 27-17 (.614)
6. 1996 – 27-20 (.574)
8. 2014 – 26-11 (.703)
8. 2007 – 26-23 (.531)
8. 2006 – 26-20 (.565) 

Team comparisons

Concordia (26-11, 11-7 GPAC)
Head Coach: Todd LaVelle (1st year)
BA: .302 (4th)
SLG: .368 (9th)
Runs/game: 5.32 (4th)
ERA: 2.90 (3rd)
Opponents’ BA: .267 (3rd)
K’s: 174 (4th)
Fielding %: .954 (3rd)
Leading Hitter: Julia Tyree (.316 BA, 10 2Bs, 27 RBIs)
Top Pitcher: Amanda Beeson (13-6, 2.35 ERA, 137 K, 143 IP)

Dakota Wesleyan (17-15, 8-8 GPAC)
Head Coach: Ed Kieff (3rd year)
BA: .276 (8th)
SLG: .375 (8th)
Runs/game: 4.41 (8th)
ERA: 4.02 (8th)
Opponents’ BA: .290 (7th)
K’s: 156 (6th)
Fielding %: .930 (8th)
Leading Hitter: Lindy Snook (.407 BA, .471 OBP, .604 SLG, 1 HR, 20 RBIs)
Top Pitcher: Jill Dickson (12-7, 2.66 ERA, 110 K, 113.1 IP)

2014 SENIOR CLASS

#31 Amanda Baldwin
Hometown: Wilber, Neb.
Parents: Dawn Edmonds & Jonathan Baldwin
Major: Biology
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after Graduation: Attending UNMC in Lincoln for a BSN (Nursing)
In reflection upon her time at Concordia, Amanda writes: “Concordia has been a blessing to me. I’ve met a lot of lifelong friends through softball, classes and even met my fiancé. Softball has been a crazy ride, but honestly the thing I’ll miss most is the rides to away games and getting to have fun with my teammates and our ‘CUNE softball tunes.’”

#18 Amanda Beeson
Hometown: Lincoln, Neb.
Parents: Mike and Lisa Beeson
Major: Business Administration
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after Graduation: Working full time in Lincoln as a sales and marketing manager for R.U. Nuts Company.
In reflection upon her time at Concordia, Amanda writes: “The memories of Concordia have been shaped by amazing people and unforgettable experiences. I am proud of our team and I will miss you all. I never thought four years would go so fast, but we are not done. The best memories are yet to come.”

#20 Shelby Morose
Hometown: Claremore, Okla.
Parents: Jack and Angie Morose
Major: Sport Studies with a Sports Management minor
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after Graduation: Look for a job and continue on to grad school.
In reflection upon her time at Concordia, Shelby writes: “There are no words to describe how my experience at Concordia has been. We've had our ups and our downs but I wouldn't change any of it in a million years.”

#24 Allyson Porath
Hometown: Malcolm, Neb.
Parents: Mark and Kelly Porath
Major: Elementary Education, Early Childhood
Graduation: May of 2014
Plans after Graduation: To be teaching at an elementary school.
In reflection upon her time at Concordia, Allyson writes, “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

#22 Amber Topil
Hometown: Seward, Neb.
Parents: Kay and Tim Hansen, Terry and Kristin Topil
Major: Exercise Science
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after Graduation: Preferably find a job in my field in the Lincoln or Omaha area
In reflection upon her time at Concordia, Amber writes, “Concordia has meant the world to me, and it's not because of school. The people and relationships I've made speak volumes to the person I am today. God has placed incredible people in my life, and that is why I wouldn't take back one second of this journey. A few sentences cannot express how thankful I am for everyone on and surrounding this team...so all I can say is cheers...and here's to never growing up.”