ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (1-0) had an exciting come from behind victory over Nebraska-Kearney (0-2) in their season-opener at the Kelly Laas Invitational at St. Cloud State. This was the second straight year that the Golden Bears opened the year with a win, as the 2018 team defeated Southwest Baptist 5-3 in Emporia Kansas in their opening weekend.
 
The Golden Bears trailed 2-1 in the final inning, but freshman Katie Carlson, pinch hitting in the nine spot, came up with a clutch ground rule double down the right field line to score Kris McIntyre from second. The game headed into extra innings, and the international tie-breaker rule was implemented, placing Carlie Hart on second base. Senior Justine Schattner was the first batter up in the eighth for the Bears and she came up big, hitting a single to right to score Hart from second.
 
CSP recorded four hits in the contest, with Hart, Cam Veenbaas, Katie Carlson, and Schattner all tallying hits throughout the game. Defensively junior Aryka Knoche pitched a complete game, giving up seven hits while striking out four and only walking one.
 
The Lopers got on the board first, using a pair of singles and a sac bunt to score in the first inning. Concordia held UNK in the second and third innings, allowing them to tie it up in the third when Veenbaas singled and later took advantage of a UNK error to score when Hart hit a double to deep right field.
 
The game remained tied until the Lopers once again took the lead in the top of the fifth, when a UNK player scored on a single to right center. CSP threatened to score in the sixth when Hart walked and stole second, but she was stranded on third.
 
Concordia held the Lopers in the seventh, giving themselves a good opportunity to tie it up. The Bears waited til the last possible moment, as Mortenson gave CSP a runner when she walked with two outs. McIntyre came into pinch run for Mortenson and stole second base, giving the Bears a runner in scoring position. In her first collegiate at-bat, Katie Carlson hit McIntyre home, on her ground rule double to the right side. The RBI sent the game into extra innings. The CSP defense held strong, stranding the Loper runner in the top of the eighth, allowing Schattner to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the inning.
 
The Golden Bears do not have long to rest, as they are back at it tomorrow for a double-header at 9 and 11 a.m. CSP will play Missouri Western State to start the day, followed by a rematch with Nebraska-Kearney.