ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (3-1) defeated Wisconsin-Parkside in the final day of the Kelly Laas Invitational at St. Cloud State, propelling Coach Bob Bartel to his 400^th career win as Concordia's head coach. This is Bartel's 15^th year at the head of the program, helping the Golden Bears to seven 30+ win seasons and four NCAA appearances.
 
The 3-1 start to the season for the Golden Bears, matches the team's 3-1 start from last season, which is their best opening to a season since 2009. In 2018, CSP started the year in Emporia, Kansas beating their first three opponents, including #14 Missouri-St. Louis.
 
In Sunday's win, Concordia recorded 10 hits, four of which were for extra-bases. Junior Kris McIntyre had a breakout game, going 3-4, scoring the first run and driving in the second. Sophomore Amanda Parsons also had a strong day at the plate, going 3-3 with a double.
 
In the circle junior Aryka Knoche tallied her second win of the season, giving up one run on six hits and a walk. The Little Canada native struck out seven in the contest and is now 2-0 on the year. Junior teammate Kali Kaestner came in for the final inning, allowing just one baserunner, for her second save of the season.
 
The Golden Bears wasted no time, scoring in the first inning when McIntyre singled up the middle, stole second, and scored when Knoche hit a ground-rule double to left center. The Rangers threatened to strike back in the bottom of the inning, but McIntyre turned a double play, catching a pop-fly and then throwing out a Parkside runner at the plate, preserving the CSP lead.
 
From there, both teams scattered hits through the next three innings, but neither were able to get any across until the Bears scored again in the fifth. Sophomore Cam Veenbaas opened the inning with a single through the left side and Carlie Hart moved her over with a sacrifice bunt. McIntyre then came up with her third hit of the day, hitting a triple down the left field line to score Veenbaas easily.
 
The Rangers answered in the sixth, when centerfielder Kellie Fenza hit a double and was driven in by a single to deep right center. CSP got out of the inning, though, stranding two Rangers on base. In the seventh, Parkside got one runner on, but Kaestner closed the door, giving the Golden Bears their third win of the year.
 
Concordia has almost three weeks off before their next contest, traveling to Emporia, Kansas for the Five-State Classic. The Golden Bears will face six in-region opponents, starting with Washburn and Emporia State on February 22^nd.