ST. CLOUD, Minn.- The Concordia University softball team scored four runs in the seventh inning but fell short in a 5-4 loss to Wayne State (2-0) to drop to 0-2 to open the season.
The Wildcats scored single runs in the second and fourth before breaking it open with three runs in the fifth. The Golden Bears responded with four runs in the seventh but stranded the bases loaded to end the game.
Kylee Simpson led off the second for WSC with a double and was sacrificed to third before scoring on a wild pitch.
Megan Hagemann drove a double in the fourth to drive in Kelcie Bormann to make it 2-0.
The three run fifth came off of only one hit as three walks, a fielder's choice that allowed a runner to reach base and a pair of passed balls doomed the Golden Bears. Jordan King picked up the only RBI in the inning on a single through the hole to drive in Alyssa Schropp.
The Golden Bears kept fighting and managed to load the bases in the sixth as
Liz Jarosz walked,
Elena Koncar reached base on a fielder's choice and
Tessa Ewert reached on an error but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.
Freshman
Emily Shinn made her collegiate debut with a pinch-hit double to lead off the seventh.
Taylor Linn followed by reaching base on a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and third with nobody out.
Frankie Munkwitz then came up and drove in Shinn with an RBI groundout, advancing Linn to second. After Jarosz grounded out for the second out,
Bekah Roth cut the lead to three with an RBI single to right. Koncar then reached base on an error which set the stage for back-to-back RBI singles from Ewert and
Cassie Bertelsen to close the gap to one at 5-4.
Navarae Honoroff reached on another error to load the bases before Shinn, in her second at-bat of the inning, struck out to end the game.
It was a game of firsts for the Golden Bears as Shinn, Jarosz and Honoroff all picked up their first career hits.
Tessa Ewert finished the day 2-3 with a walk and an RBI to lead the CU offense.
On the mound,
Stephanie Kappes fell to 0-2 as she went 5.0 innings and gave up six hits, five runs (three earned) and four walks while striking out one.
Linzy Heim came in in the sixth and pitched a scoreless inning in her debut as she picked up a strikeout.
The Golden Bears finish out the Kelly Laas Memorial Invite with games at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. against Nebraska-Kearney and Emporia State.
