EMPORIA, Kan. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (12-6) opened their non-conference games in Emporia with a 6-4 win over in-region opponent Central Missouri (13-9). The Golden Bears used a five-hit second inning to score five runs which would propel them to victory.
 
The game featured plenty of offense as both teams combined for 20 total hits, as the Jennies held an 11-9 edge in the contest. Senior Justine Schattner paced the Golden Bears, going 2-3 at the plate with a walk and two RBIs. Junior Kris McIntyre also drove in two runs in the game, with a double in the second inning. The rest of the offense for CSP was spread out throughout the lineup as six other players recorded a hit.
 
In the circle, junior Samantha Sullivan pitched the first five innings for Concordia and picked up her fifth win of the season as she is now 5-3 on the year. The Greenville, Wisconsin native struck out seven batters in the game, while walking only two.
 
Junior Kali Kaestner pitched the final two innings in relief, earning her third save of the season.
 
It was Central Missouri who struck first, scoring three runs in the top of the first all with two outs. Sullivan struck out three batters in the inning, but the Jennies strung together three hits and a walk to take a quick 3-0 lead.
 
The Golden Bears answered in the bottom of the second inning, exploding for five runs of their own. Hannah Carlson started the rally with a single which was followed by a Makenna Giese walk. Hanna Mortenson then singled to left to load the bases. Carlie Hart took advantage of a UCM error to get on base, scoring Giese from third. McIntyre came up with a clutch double to left center scoring two runners and Schattner followed that up with a single of her own scoring two more runs.
 
CSP was able to load the bases again with an Aryka Knoche single and an Amanda Parsons walk, but the Jennies shut down the rally recording the last two outs to get out of the inning.
 
Concordia would extend their lead in the fourth, when Meagan Bliese (who was pinch running for Knoche) scored on a Jenny error, making it 6-3 heading into the fifth.
 
Central Missouri would get one run back in the fifth, but Sullivan and the CSP defense were able to hold on to the 6-4 lead for the next two innings, not allowing another run.
 
The Jennies did make it interesting, though, having multiple runners on base in both the sixth and the seventh innings. In the top of the seventh, UCM opened the inning with a walk, but the Bears turned a critical 4-6-3 double play to get two quick outs. The Jennies added two more singles in the inning, but Kaestner forced a groundout for the final out and the win.
 
UP NEXT
The Golden Bears continue their non-conference games in Emporia tomorrow, taking on Washburn at 3 p.m. and the host, Emporia, at 5:30. Live stats, if available, can be found on the softball schedule page.