ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (6-10) kicked off play in the Apple Market Classic with a pair of losses as they fell to Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma on Friday afternoon.
 
Pittsburg State 3, Concordia-St. Paul 2 (8 inn.)
The Golden Bears held a slim lead into the late innings of the first game of the weekend, but the Gorillas managed to pull even in the bottom of the seventh before pushing across the winning run on a fielder's choice in the eighth.
 
Linzy Heim (4-3) took a tough-luck loss as she allowed three runs (two earned) while scattering 10 hits and striking out four.
 
Pitt State starter Morgan Myers (7-4) limited the Concordia offense to a pair of runs on six hits as she also picked up four strikeouts in the win.
 
The Golden Bears jumped on the board in the first as Carly Hart led off the game with a single before advancing to second and coming around to score on a single off the bat of Justine Schattner.
 
That lead lasted until the bottom half of the third when Jenna Bolton sent run-scoring single to even it up at one.
 
Concordia regained a one-run advantage the next half inning as Elena Koncar and Kelly McKenzie drew walks to kick off a rally before Koncar came around to score on a wild pitch later in the inning.
 
Both pitchers settled in from there as they matched zeroes until the Gorillas came to the plate in the seventh. After Heim retired the first two batters of the inning to pull within an out of closing out the win, Katy Remy delivered a single and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Nicole Nease extended the game with a game-tying single.
 
With international tie-breaker rules in play, Haley Schanks started the eighth on second base and moved up on a wild pitch, but the Golden Bears were sent down in order to strand her there and keep it tied heading to the bottom of the inning.
 
A bunt single, a steal and an intentional walk loaded the bases with nobody out for the Gorillas in their half of the eighth before a fielder's choice brought home the winning run and closed out the game.
 
Central Oklahoma 11, Concordia-St. Paul 0 (5 inn.)
The second game of the day proved to be a tough one for the Golden Bears as the Bronchos slugged five home runs and held CSP to just one hit in the five-inning contest.
 
UCO starter Jessi Walker was tremendous as she struck out seven and allowed three baserunners in the complete game victory.
 
Nicole Thompson picked up the lone Concordia hit on a bunt single while Lizzy Swenson and Jamie Fleischhacker each drew walks as well.
 
Central Oklahoma opened the scoring in the second with a six spot as JoBi Heath and Carli Jones both homered in the inning. Halley Randolph added a two-run shot in the third while Ashleigh Tramel and Ashton Smith added homers in the fifth to help bring the score to 11-0.
 
The Golden Bears will look to get back in the win column as they take on Northwest Missouri State and Washburn.