SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Concordia-St. Paul (19-7, 6-2 NSIC) recovered from a
10-0 loss in game one with a
2-0 shutout win in game two at the University of Sioux Falls (9-13, 3-3) on Wednesday afternoon at Sherman Park.
GAME 1: Sioux Falls 10, Concordia 0 (5 innings)
The Cougars pounced on the Golden Bears right away with a 10-run first inning. The first eight runs came against senior
Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.), whose only hit allowed to USF was a bunt single.
She left the game with the bases loaded and five runs in, with sophomore
Stephanie Kappes (Circle Pines, Minn.) letting in her three runners along with two more before pitching scoreless softball the rest of the game.
Kluever was charged with the loss, allowing eight runs in a third of an inning while Kappes pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing the two runs with four strikeouts.
Concordia's offense managed only two singles in the game and started the game with seven straight strikeouts at the hand of USF pitcher Bailey Bouman. Bouman improved to 4-4 with the complete game shutout, striking out nine in the two hitter with two walks.
GAME 2: Concordia 2, Sioux Falls 0
Kluever rebounded in the second game, earning the start and going the distance for her eighth shutout to improve to 11-5. She struck out 11 and allowed only three hits and a walk while bringing her ERA back down to 2.64. On the year, she's holding opponents to a .170 average with 112 strikeouts in 82.1 innings.
Concordia scored with a two out rally in the first inning with senior
Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) singling home freshman
Jamie Fleischhacker (Maplewood, Minn.).
In the fifth, leadoff hitter
Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) opened with an infield hit to short and stole second and third bases. She scored on an RBI bunt single by
Missie Feuerbach (Iowa City, Iowa). Meiser was 1-3 with a walk and three stolen bases in the game, bringing her season total to 26 in 28 tries.
Fleischhacker went 2-3 in the game and 3-6 in the doubleheader.
Concordia continues NSIC play this weekend with doubleheader against MSU Moorhead on Saturday and Northern State on Sunday. Check
cugoldenbears.com for any schedule changes for location, time and date.