MANKATO, Minn. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (8-15, 0-2 NSIC) dropped both of their NSIC opening games at Minnesota State (24-4, 2-0 NSIC) falling 4-1 in game one and 4-2 in game two. The losses snapped the Golden Bears three game winning streak.
GAME ONE: Minnesota State 4, Concordia-St. Paul 1
After a scoreless first inning, the Mavericks got on the board first with a pair of runs in the second.
With runners on first and second, Dana Morgen singled to left field scoring Amber Karl from second for their first run. MSU's second run would come on a throwing error allowing Samantha Buchmann to score from third.
CSP would get their first hit and run of the game in the top of the third thanks to a lead-off solo home run by Sarah Kivisto. Kivisto's home run is the first of her career and it came off All-American pitcher Coley Reis.
The Mavericks would build their lead back up two in the bottom of the third off a sacrifice fly by Ashley Thell, scoring McKenzie Paap from third giving MSU a 3-1 lead.
Concordia would go three-up and three-down in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Minnesota State would add their fourth run of the game in the bottom of the sixth curtesy of a RBI single by Cori Kennedy.
Nicole Thompson would lead off the top of the seventh with single to left field for the Golden Bears second and final hit of the game. However, Reis would strike out the next three batters giving MSU the 4-1 victory.
Samantha Sullivan (4-6) took the loss for the Golden Bears as she went the distance allowing only six hits, four runs while striking out one. Coley Reis (12-2) took the win for Minnesota State, also going the distance, allowing only two hits, one run and striking out 12.
Five different players recorded a hit for MSU led by Dana Morgen who went 2-3 at the plate with one RBI. Kivisto's RBI now gives her 10 on the year and ranks tied for third on the team.
GAME TWO: Minnesota State 5, Concordia-St. Paul 4
To begin game two, it was a slow start for both teams as each team only compiled one hit apiece in the first two innings.
In the top of the third Concordia had a chance to jump out to an early lead, but stranded runners on the corners. The Mavericks would not strand their runners in scoring position as Sarah Buhmann would reach first on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded giving MSU a 2-0 lead.
MSU would add their third run of the game in the bottom of the fourth as Carly Esselman doubled, stole third and then scored on a throwing error giving Minnesota State a 3-0 lead.
The Golden Bears nearly had a chance to cut into the Mavericks with two outs in the fifth, after a pair of singles by
Carlie Hart and
Nicole Thompson and walk by
Justine Schattner would load the bases, but stranded the bases loaded as
Haley Schanks popped up to third to end the inning.
In the fifth,
Liz Jarosz led off with a walk before Kivisto smashed her second home run of the day on the first pitch she saw to cut the MSU lead to 3-2.
The Mavericks would add an insurance run in the sixth as McKenzie Paap recorded a RBI single with two outs to build their lead to 4-2.
CSP final attempt at a comeback would come up short as they went down in order in the top of the seventh dropping the final game of the series.
Linzy Heim (4-7) took the loss in the circle as she went the distance, allowing seven hits, four runs, and striking out five. Libby Bemis (12-2) came away with the win for MSU also going the distance, allowing five hits, two runs while striking out five.
Nicole Thompson led the way for Concordia going 2-3 at the plate while Kivisto, Hart, and Schattner all came away with one hit in game two. Carly Esselman and McKenzie Paap led the way for the Mavericks going 2-3 and 2-4, respectively.
The Golden Bears are now 15-33 all-time against Minnesota State.
Concordia continues conference play this weekend as they play host to Wayne State (Neb.) on Saturday and Augustana (S.D.) on Sunday. Both games will be double-headers and first pitch for game one is 12 pm each day.
