ROCHESTER, Minn. - The Golden Bears (29-19) got a gem from junior Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) and their bats came alive as they upset the third seeded #12 Winona State (39-9) 11-3 in six innings. Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) was 2-4 with four RBI and Missie Feuerbach (Iowa City, Iowa) was 3-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Both Larsen and Bekah Roth (Shoreview, Minn.) had home runs in the win. Concordia advances to play Friday at 11 a.m.
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There were so many storylines in Thursday's but the main one has to be Kluever's six innings allowing just four hits, three runs and no walks as she needed just 83 pitches to get the win. Other story lines included the fact that M. Feuerbach drove a run in with each of her at bats doing so with two outs in the first inning. Larsen hit her first home run of the season doing so with a huge three run shot to right in the third inning giving CU the lead for good. Also there was Roth, who's two run shot put CU up by eight in top of the sixth inning.
It all started with Katie Anderson's (Mendota Heights, Minn.) double to right center on a 2-1 pitch to begin the game. Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) walked to put runners on first and second with no body out. The Northern Sun Pitcher of the Year Stacey Struzynski showed why though as she got NSIC First Teamers Calli Brennan (Mendota Heights, Minn.) and Erin Tjornhom (Eagan, Minn.) out via the strikeout. Missie Feuerbach came up with a big hit singling down the line in right as Anderson scored and Meiser moved up to third. Larsen then drew a walk to load the bases up and keep the inning alive. With Roth at the plate, Meiser would score on a pass ball as CU took a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats got two runners on thanks to a double and single putting runners on first and third with one out. A wild pitch followed allowing the runner of first to move up to second before a strikeout. Kluever then hit a batter and threw a pair of wild pitches allowing the runner from third to score. Kluever got a ground out to third to end the inning.
Inning number two was less action filled as both teams went down in order. Concordia got some help from the Warriors defense in the third as Brennan reached on a leadoff error and M. Feuerbach reached on a one out error. Larsen then smacked a big home run to right field, her first of the year and first since April 22 of last season. Kluever came through with a big one, two, three in the bottom of the fourth to keep CU up three.
Concordia added three more in the fourth as the top of the lineup started the inning. Anderson singled to short and stole second before Meiser singled to left field scoring Anderson from second. Meiser ended up on second after the throw home. After a pitching change CU kept rolling despite two straight outs from Brennan and Tjornhom. Missie Feuerbach doubled to left field scoring Meiser and then Larsen singled to right driving in Feuerbach to make it 8-2. The Warriors got a run back in the bottom of the inning thanks to a two out double to right center.
The Golden bears threatened in the fifth but could not push across any more runs as they let Kluever get back to shutting WSU down. She did just that putting the Warriors down in order in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth inning Brennan singled up the middle but was out at second a play later as Tjornhom hit into a fielder's choice. Tjornhom stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball before M. Feuerbach came through once again singling to right and scoring Tjornhom. Roth came up with two outs and hit ball over the fence in left center making it 11-3 headed to the bottom of the sixth.
Kluever finished WSU off with a strikeout, pop up and fly out to left center as Concordia completed the upset win and moved into the winner's side of the bracket. The Golden Bears will now face Augustana at 11:00 a.m. as they try to pull off another upset in the NSIC Tournament.
