ST. CLOUD, Minn. - The Concordia University softball team (0-1) dropped their season opener 3-0 to Missouri Western State (7-3) on Friday night in St. Cloud. The game, originally scheduled to take place at 1 p.m., was the Golden Bears first of four games in the Kelly Laas Memorial Invite.

The Golden Bear offense was limited to just three hits as Griffon pitcher Jackie Bishop (5-1) picked up her third shutout of the season.

Both teams struggled to get anything going offensively in what proved to be a pitchers duel.

Tessa Ewert got the first hit of the game for either team to open up the top of the third and eventually stole second but she wouldn't get any further as the Golden Bears went 1-2-3 after the lead-off single.

Stephanie Kappes (0-1) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before a single broke it up to start the inning. Missouri Western got the first real threat of the game after Kappes walked the next hitter to give MWSU runners on first and second with nobody out. She picked up a big strikeout two batters later, but a two-out Morgan Rathman single drove in the first run to break the 0-0 tie. An error on the next play brought in the other two runs to give the Griffons the deciding 3-0 advantage.

Cassie Bertelsen singled to lead off the sixth and Alicia Meiser stole second after reaching base on a fielder's choice, but Bishop shut the door yet again.

Bishop finished the night with 7.0 shutout innings with eight strikeouts and only three hits allowed.

Kappes ended with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched and gave up three runs (one earned) with two hits and two walks in what was a strong season debut.

Liz Jarosz, Elena Koncar and Navarae Honoroff all made their Golden Bear debuts in the game.