ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Golden Bears (24-19, 9-11 NSIC) earned a split against Southwest Minnesota State (20-18, 11-11 NSIC) losing the first game 2-0 but coming back with a 4-2 win in the second game. Calli Brennan (Mendota Heights, Minn.) was 4-4 in game two with a pair of RBI. Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) picked up the win allowing two runs over seven innings and picked up six strikeouts. GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
GAME 1
The Golden Bears went down in order in the top of the first inning. The Mustangs however drew a leadoff walk and got a two out double to take a 1-0 lead after one. Missie Feuerbach (Iowa City, Iowa) extended her hitting streak to 11 with a two out base hit up the middle but was left on base. Southwest Minnesota State picked another run in the second inning thanks to another two out hit.
Cassie Bertelsen (Oakdale, Minn.) had a leadoff double to right center but three straight ground outs ended the third inning for CU. SMSU drew another leadoff walk in the bottom of the third but a 5-4-3 double play shut down the rally and then Stephanie Kappes (Circle Pines, Minn.) induced a ground out to third ending the inning.
Calli Brennan (Mendota Heights, Minn.) reached on a single to start the fourth but the Mustangs got a 5-4-3 double play of their own to make it two outs quickly. Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) picked up a two out double down the line in left and M. Feuerbach reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on first and third. Bekah Roth (Shoreview, Minn.) popped up to second to end the inning. Kappes got SMSU to go down in order in their half of the fourth inning.
Concordia went down in order in the top of the fifth inning and continued to trail 2-0 headed to the bottom of the fifth. SMSU had a runner reach via an error but was unable to take advantage of it. Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) reached on a bunt to leadoff the sixth inning but she was thrown out trying to steal second. The inning would end two batters later as CU was again kept off the board. The Mustangs again had a runner reach via an error but Kappes kept them from adding to their 2-0 lead as the game went into the seventh inning.
With one down in the top of the seventh inning M. Feuerbach drew a walk and then Roth singled through the left side, bringing the potential winning run to the plate. Bertelsen was hit by a pitch to load the bases up with one out. However, Concordia failed to push across any runs as Tessa Ewert (Hutchinson, Minn.) struck out and Anderson grounded out to second ending the game.
GAME 2
In the top of the first inning Concordia picked up back to back two out singles from Brennan and Erin Tjornhom (Eagan, Minn.) but failed to score. The Mustangs went down in order in their half of the inning. Roth had a one out double to right in the second but that was all the offense CU would get in the inning. SMSU took the lead in the second inning thanks to a two out double scoring a runner from first.
The lead was short lived as CU rallied in the third. Anderson led off with single but was out for leaving early. Meiser then walked to re start the rally, Brennan double to center scoring Meiser from first. Tjornhom came through with a single to right scoring Brennan and giving CU the 2-1 lead. Tjornhom stole second before Larsen popped up to second for the second out. Missie Feuerbach had a big two out hit allowing Tjornhom to score and making it 3-1 before the inning was over. The Mustangs went down in order in their half of the third inning.
Concordia followed suit in the top of the fourth and Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) pitched around a one out double to keep CU out in front after four complete. Brennan picked up a one out single in the fifth but was stranded on second to end the inning. SMSU went down with out a runner reaching in the bottom of the fifth.
The Golden Bears tried to rally with two outs in the sixth inning but stranded runners on first and second to end the inning. SMSU went down in order in their half of the sixth inning.
Meiser started the CU seventh off with a bunt single and then scored on Brennan's single to right center, coming all the way around from first on the hit. M. Feuerbach had a two out single to put runners on first and second but one run was all the Golden Bears would manage in the seventh inning to go up 4-1 into the bottom of the seventh. Southwest Minnesota State picked up a leadoff walk to start the inning and put runners on first and second with one out after a hits batsmen. A fielder's choice followed as the runner on first was cut down at second. With two outs and a runner on first and third the Mustangs picked up a run on a single to short. A pinch hitter followed and Kluever got her to pop up to second ending the game and giving CU the 4-2 lead.
