ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (1-3) continues non-conference play this weekend as they travel to Bentonville, Arkansas for the UAM 8 State Classic hosted by the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
The Golden Bears are set to take on Pittsburg State (Kan.) and host Arkansas-Monticello on Friday, Rogers State (Okla.) and Northeastern Oklahoma on Saturday, and Drury University and Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) on Sunday.
CSP returns to the UAM 8 State Classic for the first time since the 2013 season when it was called the 7-State Classic. Concordia went 2-4 at the tournament back in 2013 and also faced off against Ouachita Baptist and Arkansas-Monticello in the tournament that year.
The Golden Bears are coming off a 1-3 weekend at the Kelly Laas Memorial Invitational in St. Cloud. CSP kicked off the tournament with tough 0-9 loss to reigning NSIC champion Minnesota State and then take Augustana to eight innings but would fall short in a 5-6 loss to the Vikings. The Golden Bears would get their first win of the season on day two of the tournament against Viterbo (Wis.) by score of 10-1 in five innings. In their final game of the tournament, CSP would play a very exciting and intense game against Sioux Falls but would come up short again in nine innings by a score of 5-6.
Justine Schattner was outstanding at the plate in the first four games going a combined 8-10 (.800) with a pair of doubles, one run scored, one home run, and six RBI. She had back-to-back perfect plate performances going 2-2 and 4-4 against Viterbo and Sioux Falls, respectively. Schattner finished with a 1.300 slugging percentage, a .857 on-base percentage, and drew three walks in her efforts.
Nicole Thompson also fared well in St. Cloud over the weekend going 8-14 (.571) in four games with five runs scored, two doubles and one RBI.
Entering into the opener against Pittsburg State (Kan.) on Friday, CSP holds a record of 3-2 against the Gorillas. PSU won that meeting against CSP 3-2 in Missouri last season.
Friday's contest with Arkansas-Monticello marks just the second meeting between the two schools as UAM won the first meeting 8-5 back in 2013 at the same tournament.
Saturday's games against Rogers State (Okla.) and Northeastern Oklahoma will mark the first ever meetings against the two schools.
Closing out play on the weekend, Concordia will face Drury University for the first time in program history before facing off against Ouachita Baptist for just the second time. Ouachita Baptist won the first meeting back in 2013 by a score of 7-4 also at the same tournament.
