ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Concordia University softball team (6-13) dropped their first two games in the Apple Market Classic against Missouri Southern State by a score of 2-1 and against #16 Central Oklahoma by a score of 8-6 on Friday. The Golden Bears are set to play four more games against MIAA opponents this weekend.
 
Missouri Southern State 2, Concordia-St. Paul 0
The Golden Bears rallied late and put the winning run on base in the seventh, but were unable to push across another run as they fell short in a 2-1 loss to the Lions.
 
Ashley Lutz (3-7) held Concordia to just one hit through the first six innings as she appeared to be cruising toward a shutout before the Golden Bears strung together some baserunners in the seventh. Lutz allowed just three hits and struck out three for the game.
 
Haley Schanks opened up the seventh with a walk and was lifted for a pinch runner as Nicolle Sparks came in at first. Sparks reached third with two down and Linzy Heim came off the bench with a pinch-hit single to break up the shutout and Kelly McKenzie followed it with another single to put runners on first and second. A fly out ended the inning as Lutz finished out the complete game win.
 
Stephanie Kappes (3-8) was nearly as effective as she held the Lions off the board over the final four innings after allowing single runs in the first and second innings. She allowed two runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts in the loss.
 
Kathryn Goins opened up the scoring in the first for MSSU with an RBI single and Sarah Williams added a run scoring double in the second to put the Lions on top 2-0 in the early going. Missouri Southern State put runners on the corners in the third but Kappes shut the door and didn't allow a runner to reach scoring position the rest of the way.
 
Liz Jarosz picked up the other hit for the Golden Bears as drove a single down the line top lead off the second. The only other Golden Bear rally came in the third inning as Teona Zepeda walked and Nicole Thompson reached on an error which put the two on second and third but a foul out to the catcher to end the inning.


#16 Central Oklahoma 8, Concordia-St. Paul 6
Concordia put up another late rally in the second game of the day but it wasn't enough as the Bronchos held on for the win. The Golden Bears used a four-run fifth inning to cut a 7-2 deficit to 7-6 before Central Oklahoma added an insurance run to bring it to an 8-6 final.
 
The Bronchos struck first with a run in the first and four more in the second against Concordia starter Linzy Heim as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Shelby Carel picked up an RBI single with one of her three hits and Kaylee Brunson delivered the big blow with a two-run triple to highlight the rally for UCO.
 
After stranding runners in the first two innings, Concordia broke through in the third as Jamie Fleischhacker drove home Teona Zepeda with a double and Haley Schanks brought in Fleischhacker with a single as CU cut it to three at 5-2.
 
Central Oklahoma got those two runs back in their half of the fourth as Brunson hit her second triple of the game as she brought in another run and Ally Dziadula single to bring her in as the Concordia deficit returned to five at 7-2.
 
Concordia battled back though as Fleischhacker picked up another RBI, her 20^th of the year, with a single in the fifth to open the scoring in the frame. Emily Shinn drew a bases loaded walk to bring home the next run, Fleischhacker came around to score on a wild pitch and Liz Jarosz added another run with a sacrifice fly. With the tying run on third base, UCO picked up a strikeout to escape the inning with the lead.
 
A leadoff double for Central Oklahoma in the bottom of the sixth set the stage for the Brochos to add another run and they shut the door in the seventh to grab the win.
 
Fleischhacker shined for the Golden Bears as she reached base all four times with a pair of hits and two walks as she factored in to four of Concordia's six runs. Zepeda, Thompson, Schanks and Shinn all added singles as well.
 
Concordia is back on the field tomorrow at noon as they take on Missouri Western State  before facing #11 Emporia State at 4 p.m.