KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Concordia-St. Paul (7-5) right handed pitchers Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) and Stephanie Kappes (Circle Pines, Minn.) threw nine combined shutout innings in a two-game sweep of Franklin College (0-2) on Friday afternoon at Osceola Softball Complex at the Rebel Spring Games. Kluever threw a 1-hitter with nine strikeouts over 5.0 shutout innings in a 10-0 win in game one before Kappes tossed a 3-hitter with five strikeouts while working 4.0 innings of an 8-0, 5-inning win in the second game.

It was Kluever's second 2-hitter (or better) of the season as she improves to 5-3 on the season with her second-straight shutout. She's fanned 41 hitters in 36.0 innings on the year. Kappes evens her record at 2-2 and both pitchers bring their earned run averages under 4.00 with Kluever leading the duo at 3.50.

GAME 1: Concordia 10, Franklin 0
Leadoff hitter Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) singled, stole second and scored on an RBI groundout by Jamie Fleischhacker (Maplewood, Minn.) in what was essentially the game-winning run scored on the first out of the game. It was Meiser's 12th stolen base in as many attempts on the year.

Kluever took control in the bottom of the first, and set the tone by striking out the first two swinging, and third swinging after a 2-out walk.

She retired all three swinging in the second inning after a 1-out walk while the offense padded her lead with a 6-run top of the second inning in a 5-hit inning. Senior Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) provided the big hit in the inning, a 2-out, 2-run single to give the Golden Bears a 7-0 lead.

Kluever started the third by retiring the ninth hitter looking to start the game with seven strikeouts for her first seven outs recorded.  After getting an infield pop out, she struck out the final out of the third inning swining for eight strikeouts in the first nine outs.

She issued a 2-out walk in the fourth inning and finally lost her no-hit bid to lead off the fifth inning. She struck out Franklin to provide a fitting end to the game.

Concordia's final runs came off a 3-run homer to left centerfield by freshman Lindsey Kamleiter (Lakeville, Minn.), her first career home run. It was Concordia's sixth home run on the year as a team, with all six coming from different players.

No one reached second base against Kluever in the game.

GAME 2: Concordia 8, Franklin 0
The second game was not quite as smooth sailing as Franklin stranded three runners in scoring position and left six on base. But Kappes shut down Franklin when it counted, with three strikeouts in the second inning to pitch out of a threat with two runners on (1st & 2nd). The three hits against her came in three different innings and she only walked two.

Freshman Teona Zepeda (Woodbury, Minn.) finished the game in the circle, throwing a shutout fifth inning.

The Golden Bears picked up three runs in the second inning off four singles and a pair of walks, and added two more runs with three singles in the third inning.

As the home team, the Golden Bears added three more runs in their final time to bat in the bottom of the fourth in a 5-single inning.

Concordia scratched out 12 hits in game two, all singles, and were led by senior Missie Feuerbach (Iowa City, Iowa) with a 3-3 performance with three runs scored. Junior Bekah Roth (Shoreview, Minn.) was 2-2 with two RBI.

In the doubleheader, Concordia had 22 hits in 10 innings with M.Feuerbach going 4-5 with four runs and an RBI in the two games. Eight players had at least two hits in the doubleheader and 13 players had at least one hit. Concordia hit .479 while holding Franklin to .114 hitting.

Concordia continues action at the Rebel Spring Games tomorrow, playing Fayetteville State at 8 a.m. and Saginaw Valley State at 10 a.m. - start times are central. The game against Saginaw Valley will feature live stats.