CLERMONT, Fla. – The Concordia Golden Bears softball team (2-9) dropped a well fought contest to #22 Wayne State (Mich.) (13-5) by a score of 5-4 in nine innings on the first day of their Florida trip.
#22 Wayne State (Mich.) 5, Concordia-St. Paul 4
Nicole Thompson and
Justine Schattner got the bats going in the first for the Golden Bears as they each recorded single in their first at bats. Thompson would then score on the next at bat off a throwing error putting Schattner on third and
Liz Jarosz on second. CSP would strand runners on second and third but hold an early 1-0 lead.
Concordia starter
Samantha Sullivan (1-5) did not allow a single hit in the first two innings and struck out two in the process.
In the top of the third, CSP would load the bases with two outs before a pair of RBI singles by
Hannah Carlson and
Sarah Kivisto to extend the Golden Bears lead to 3-0.
The Warriors would record their first hits of the game in the home half of the third but would strand the bases loaded as Sullivan would strike out Kylee Barrett to get out of the jam and end the inning.
After Concordia stranded a runner in scoring position the top of the fourth, Wayne State would put runners on first and second with two outs before All-American Lyndsay Butler would tie the game with a 3-run home run. The home run is Butler's fourth of the year.
In innings five, six and seven neither team was able to break the 3-3 tie forcing the game into extra innings. Only a total of two hits were recorded during those three scoreless innings and both went to WSU.
In the eighth
Justine Schattner was placed on second to start the inning due to the international tie breaker rule. Jarosz would bunt to move Schattner over to third and she would reach first on a fielding error.
Haley Schanks would then follow with an RBI single scoring Schattner and giving CSP a 4-3 lead.
Concordia would not be able to produce any more runs in the eighth as they stranded runners on third on two occasions.
Wayne State would bunt their runner over to third to begin the bottom of the eighth and then Emma Adams would drive in the tying run with a RBI single and advance to second a fielding error with only one out. CSP would get out of the jam and Adams would be stranded after a ground out and fly out to end inning tied at four.
In the top of the ninth the Golden Bears were able to produce a pair of hits and load the bases but could not bring home the go ahead run.
For the Warriors in the home half of the ninth, Hannah McClounie would be placed on second and bunted over to third. With one out, CSP would then walk the next batter to try and set up for a double play to end the game. Following the walk however, Allie Buchanan would send a fly out to left field allowing McClounie to tag from third to end the game and give WSU the 5-4 win.
Sullivan took the tough loss for Concordia only allowing six hits with four strikeout and all five runs were unearned.
Lyndsay Butler took the win for the Warriors as she went three innings, allowing four hits and only one run which was unearned.
Thompson, Schattner, and Carlson led CSP with two hits apiece. Schattner also scored two runs and Carlson recorded one RBI.
Concordia is currently in action against California (Pa.) and the recap for that game will be posted later tonight.
