ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Golden Bears (22-13, 7-5 NSIC) got a pair of victories over Wayne State (19-17, 5-9 NSIC) on Friday afternoon at Carlander Field. Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) pitched a gem in game one as CU picked up the 4-1 win, allowing just five hits while striking out 10. It was a hitters battle in game two as CU used a 10 run inning and then held on for a 11-10 win. GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
GAME 1
Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) got the Wildcats to go down in order in the top of the first with a pair of strikeouts and forcing a ground ball to short to end the inning. Concordia loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) and Calli Brennan (Mendota Heights, Minn.) both singled to right and then Erin Tjornhom (Eagan, Minn.) drew a walk to load the bases with one down. Sara Scheffert got Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) to strikeout looking for the second out. Missie Feuerbach (Iowa City, Iowa) came through for CU with a two out, two RBI single up the middle scoring both Meiser and Brennan, giving CU a 2-0 lead after one.
Wayne State went down in order once again in the top of the second inning as well thanks to Larsen, who made a couple nice plays in the field. Cassie Bertlesen (Oakdale, Minn.) reached on an error to start the second for CU but three straight ground ball outs ended the second. Kluever stayed in control in the third as well, getting WSC to go down one, two, three once again. Tjornhom had a one out double to center field but was stranded after back to back ground outs to end the third.
Kluever gave up a two out single in the fourth, as her no hit bid was broke up but she came right back picking up her sixth strikeout of the game to end the inning. Abby Foster (Waverly, Iowa) picked up a two out single to left field but was left there as Anderson grounded out to first ending the inning.
The Wildcats got their lead off runner on in the fifth with an infield single to short. After a sac bunt, Kluever walked her first batter of the game putting runners on first and second with one out. Kelcie Bormann pinch hit for WSC with two outs and came through with single to center scoring Kaiti Williams who moved up to third on a stolen base the pitch before. A soft single to short followed as the Wildcats loaded the bases with two outs. Kluever got out of the inning with a strikeout as CU held a 2-1 lead headed to the bottom of the fifth.
The Golden Bears got the run back and more as they used a leadoff double by Meiser followed up a one out single, walk and the a fielder's choice. With the bases loaded M. Feuerbach hit a ground ball to short, Jordan King tried to get Meiser at the plate but her throw was too late and off the mark allowing Tjornhom to score from second unearned and giving CU a 4-1 lead.
In the sixth inning WSC had a one out single up the middle but could not do much more as they trailed 4-1 after five and a half. CU had a pair of singles in the sixth inning but would up without a threat as Anderson was thrown out at third on Meiser's single. Concordia headed to the seventh up 4-1.
Ashley Kluever picked up the complete game with as she put WSC down in the seventh. She finished with 10 strikeouts, a season high, allowing just five hits and walked two over seven.
GAME 2
An error and a walk helped WSC have an early scoring chance in the top of the first. A bunt single followed to load up the bases with nobody out in the inning as Stephanie Kappes (Circle Pines, Minn.) was in a jam immediately. She got a big out via a fielder's choice as Areielle Earleywine was forced out at home for the first out. Wayne State did pick up the first run of the game as Kappes walked Williams plating a run. Calli Brennan picked up a single in the bottom of the inning with two outs but Tjornhom was caught looking to end the inning.
Wayne State added a second run in the second inning thanks to a leadoff single, back to back sac bunts and two out single up the middle. CU spoiled a lead off error that helped Larsen reach with two straight fielder's choice and 1-3 ground out. Kappes worked around a leadoff single in the top of the third inning holding WSC at two.
Abby Foster led off the bottom of the third with a homer to left field bringing CU within one. Anderson singled and stole second before Meiser followed with a bunt single to first. She was able to advance to second as no one covered the base putting runners on second and third with no outs. Brennan singled to left scoring Anderson as Meiser moved to third tying the game at two. Tjornhom had the big hit of the inning as the wind carried her fly ball to left over the fence for a three run shot. Stephanie Schmidt came in to relieve WSC starter Kelsie Bormann. Larsen singled to center as CU had six straight hits to start the third. M. Feuerbach doubled to left center scoring Larsen. Wayne State was finally able to get an out as Bekah Roth (Shoreview, Minn.) grounded out to short. Bertlesen drew a walk bringing up Foster for the second time in the inning after leading the inning off with a homer. Foster walked to load up the bases before Anderson singled up the middle to score two. Meiser popped up but then Brennan doubled off the wall in right center to score Foster and Anderson as CU took a 10-2 lead. Concordia would finish the inning sending 15 batters to the plate and scoring 10 runs on nine hits.
WSC rallied back in the top of the fourth picking up a double and home run to start the inning. Kappes got a strikeout but then gave up a walk and single and Kluever replaced her after that. The Wildcats got another run on a RBI groundout to draw within five at 10-5. Concordia failed to score in their half of the fourth as the game went to the top of the fifth with CU holding the 10-5 lead.
The Wildcats kept fighting back as they added two more in the top of the fifth inning bringing them within three at 10-7. The Golden Bears loaded the bases with nobody out to lead off the bottom of the fifth. It was still loaded after a fielder's choice saw Meiser out at home 5-2. M. Feuerbach picked up a RBI walk to increase the lead to 11-7 bringing Roth to the plate. That would be all CU would get as the inning would end with CU up 11-7.
Kluever was back out there in the sixth inning as she was trying keep CU out in front. Nelsen hit a one out double off the wall in right center and then Williams hit her second home run of the year bringing WSC within two at 11-9. Concordia got a pair of singles in the sixth inning up a double play ended any chance of scoring as the Golden Bears went into the seventh up by two.
Out for her third straight full inning Kluever tried to earn her first save of the season and second of her career. She got a leadoff ground out to short to start the inning. A strikeout would follow as WSC was down two with two outs in the top of the seventh. Earleywine got a sun aided double to right field as the tying run came to the plate. Bormann, the Wildcats starter, singled off the fence in left to make it 11-10 but the inning would end with her left on base as Kluever got a line out to right field ending the game.
