TUCSON, Ariz. – All three phases were instrumental in the final day of the Tucson Invite as the Dawgs finished with two victories over Salve Regina University (R.I), 6-2, and Simpson University (Calif.), 8-3 on Thursday (March 13). Concordia University, Nebraska Softball leaned on Megan Eurich’s 8.1 innings pitched and exploded for 14 runs in the two contests at Lincoln Park.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the dugout have piled up a 15-7 non-conference showing and went 7-1 in the Grand Canyon State.
“I told them, I am very proud of them,” Coach Culler said. “Walking out of Kansas City, there was a different feel. The way we were able to collect ourselves and get back into the grind of softball was really good. This was a huge team effort from everyone, the whole week. Obviously, we had some performers that you can point at with some big stats. When you are playing eight games in five days, it takes all 20 in your dugout and that is exactly what we got.”
Against the Seahawks, the Bulldogs jumped out early with two runs in the second via a Grace Zaugg RBI single and a wild pitch brought the right fielder across the final plate. Salve Regina answered with a run in the bottom of the second but Abby Krieser pushed back with an RBI double. Krieser, out of Lincoln North Star, went 3-for-4 with two doubles against Salve Regina.
In the sixth, Taryn Ganstrom put the game to bed with a two-RBI single. With a 6-1 lead, the dual way player only gave up two earned runs and one walk in 5.1 innings pitched. Megan Eurich followed in relief of Ganstrom.
Following the Gretna, Neb., natives’ first strikeout of the day, Eurich reached 400 career strikeouts and finished the game allowing zero runs and walks in 1.1 innings. Totaling 408 total punch outs, Eurich eclipses Amanda Hehn (2004-07) to fourth for all-time career strikeouts in Concordia Softball history.
In game two, Eurich found some trouble in the top of the fourth as the Red Hawks cut the lead down to two (4-2) with back to back home runs. It wouldn’t take long for the Dawgs to respond as Ganstrom tripled in the lead off spot in the bottom of the frame. Hanna Bowers stepped up and clipped a homer to left field, the third in her career. Jennifer Katz, Aubriana Krieser and Kylie Shottenkirk piled on, each having doubles of their own, stretching the lead back to six (8-2).
Four Concordia softball players tagged a .500 batting average including Bowers (2-for-4), Ganstrom (2-for-4), Katz (2-for-4), and Voshell (2-for-4) against Simpson. The defense made bowed its back with a double play from both Aubrey Bruning and Laycee Josoff as the Dawgs only made two mistakes in the field in 14 innings.
Krieser (4-for-7) and Katz (4-for-8) paced the team in total hitting percentage and the team collected 12 extra base hits (out of 21). Josoff and Katz each looked like roadrunners with three stolen bases apiece.
Concordia (15-7) will finally enter GPAC play after 22 non-conference games traveling to face a talented Morningside (12-8) Friday (March 21). The doubleheader is set to start at 3 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa. The two teams split wins in the regular season but the Mustangs got the better of the Bulldogs, 3-1 (8 inn.), in the GPAC tournament last year.