McPHERSON, Kan. – Consider spring break a success for the Concordia University Softball team, which just completed a stretch of 12 games in seven days. On the final leg of the road trip, the Bulldogs ventured to McPherson, Kan., and defeated Friends University (Kan.), 4-2, and Presentation College (S.D.), 10-5, on Thursday (March 11).
Head Coach Shawn Semler’s squad went 10-2 on the spring break trip and now stands at 14-2 and just outside of the NAIA top 25 in the latest coaches’ poll.
“I think our team was tired, but no one said a word about it,” Semler said. “They didn’t say anything about being tired. No one complained about how many games we’ve played in a short time. I really appreciated that. They just went out and played. We don’t want to make a habit of getting behind like we did today, but it’s nice to know that this team is resilient and can come back and win games late.”
In the night cap with Presentation, Concordia trailed nearly the entire way after it allowed three runs in the top of the first. Camry Moore began the rally from a 5-2 deficit in the bottom of the fifth when she tripled and scored on a sac fly by Tori Homolka. An inning later, the floodgates opened as the Bulldogs rattled off seven runs. Creighton Taylor got things started with a single and then back-to-back RBI hits by Kylee Nixon and Jenessa Jarvis tied it up, 5-5.
Later in that same inning, Regan Karel tripled in two more runs and Taylor came through again with another base hit that drove home Karel. Taylor produced two hits in that one inning. Hhana Haro also delivered a clutch two-out RBI single in the third to help chip away.
“I think Creighton starting the inning with that hit really energized the group,” Semler said. “She was kind of the unsung hero for us in game 2. Then Brooke (Townsend) settled us down and threw a good game in relief to help us win as well.”
Moore went all seven innings in the circle in game 1 and improved her record to a sparkling 8-1. A late offensive outburst provided Moore the run support she needed. An error made by Friends in the sixth inning sparked the Bulldog rally. Townsend emerged as the winning pitcher in the second game.
Concordia has begun a season at 14-2 for the first time since 2014. That particular squad wound up qualifying for the national tournament. Since the start of the shortened 2020 campaign, the program is an impressive 26-4.
Due to expected rain this weekend, the Bulldogs will have the remainder of the week off. They had originally been scheduled to play Friday and Saturday at the McPherson Invite. Next up on the schedule is a home doubleheader versus Mayville State University (N.D.) at 4 p.m. CT on Tuesday (March 16). Concordia has not played at home since April 27, 2019.