SEWARD, Neb. – Now’s the time to start earning doubleheader sweeps if the Concordia University Softball team is to make a move down the stretch of the GPAC regular season. The Bulldogs accomplished that aim on Saturday (April 24) while taking two from Mount Marty without surrendering a single earned run on the day. Concordia celebrated senior day wins by scores of 8-0 (five innings) and 3-2.
Head Coach Shawn Semler’s squad will wrap up the home regular season slate this weekend with Briar Cliff also coming to town on Sunday. The Bulldogs have moved to 23-7 overall and to 9-5 within the GPAC.
“They were so good at helping me when I got the job,” Semler said of the senior class. “They really believed in me and understood what we wanted to do. Not only that, they took charge and they’ve never stopped doing that. It’s just such a fun group to be able to coach. We’re going to miss them – that’s for sure.”
From a pitching perspective, it was two non-seniors who got the job done on Saturday. Ace Camry Moore tossed a five-inning, two-hit shutout in a fast moving game 1. Both hits Moore surrendered were singles in a performance that also included no walks and three strikeouts. Then in game 2, Jerzi Rowe went the distance in a seven-inning complete game. The Gretna, Neb., native did not allow a single hit until the fifth inning of a masterpiece that saw her record seven strikeouts without issuing a free pass.
The Concordia offense did a good portion of its damage in the third inning of both ends of the twin bill. The Bulldogs managed to enact the eight-run rule in game 1 by scoring four times in both the third and fourth frames. In that contest, Moore went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, Caitlyn McGarvie knocked in two with a base hit and Kylee Nixon scored twice and delivered an RBI single. Concordia also took advantage of a dropped popup with two outs in the third.
In game 2, the runs were more difficult to come by, but standout third baseman Hhana Haro hit ropes all over the place. She went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and just missed hitting home runs in two of her at bats. The Bulldogs struck for each of their game 2 runs in the third inning, when Moore contributed a sacrifice fly.
“It was super exciting,” said Haro in describing senior day. “My parents came out. It was the first time they got to see me play on this field. Overall, we just wanted to get some wins today … I’m just trusting myself and the work that I’m doing off the field.”
It should be noted that the eight seniors who were honored between games are not all listed as seniors because no players were charged a season of eligibility in 2020. One such key player is Regan Karel, who went 2-for-3 in game 2. Haro and Tori Homolka have been especially impactful for the program as past first team All-GPAC selections.
Mount Marty (17-16, 8-10 GPAC) is a much improved program. The Lancers cut into what had been a 3-0 deficit in game 2 when Sarah Hart’s base hit drove in two runs in the sixth. Those runs went as unearned runs due to an error earlier in the inning. Mount Marty managed a grand total of six hits (all singles) on the day.
“We have some pretty lofty goals. We feel like we can win the games we have left if we go out and play the way we can,” Semler said. “The game is crazy sometimes and you never know. Our goal is to go undefeated the rest of the season and see where that puts us in the conference standings.”
Sunday’s first pitch between Concordia and Briar Cliff (17-21, 4-12 GPAC) is set for 1 p.m. CT from Plum Creek Park. The Chargers fell twice at Midland on Saturday.