ROSEVILLE, Minn. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (15-7, 2-0 NSIC) opened up the conference season with a sweep, defeating Minnesota State 4-3 and 4-0 on Wednesday afternoon on the campus of Northwestern.
 
Heading into today's games, Minnesota State had won the past eight contests in the series, but CSP snapped this streak with their game one win. This also marked the first time that the Bears had swept the Mavericks since 2012.
 
The Golden Bears will continue their NSIC schedule with a pair of road doubleheaders, taking on Minot State on Saturday and UMary on Sunday.
 
Carlie Hart paced the Golden Bear offense on the day, going 5-7, scoring four runs, stealing three bases, and driving in a run. Teammate Justine Schattner also had an impressive day at the plate, hitting .500 (4-8) and driving in three runs.
 
As a team, the Golden Bears outhit the Mavericks 21-15 in the contests, recording their eighth and ninth games with 10 or more hits. CSP also played errorless in both games, which is the 11^th and 12^th time that the Bears have done so this season.
 
GAME 1: CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 4, MINNESOTA STATE 3
Concordia used 11 hits in the first game to score a run in four different innings which proved to be enough as the Bears went on to win 4-3. The Mavericks, who were held scoreless through the first six innings, put together a comeback in the seventh, scoring three runs before pitcher Aryka Knoche forced a groundout to Schattner for the final out.
 
Hart recorded a team-leading three hits in the game, while Schattner, Knoche, and Hannah Carlson all tallied two hits apiece.  Hart, Schattner, and Knoche also drove in a run. This was Knoche's ninth game with multiple hits so far on the year.
 
The Golden Bears scored in the top of the first inning when Hart tripled to start the game. Knoche scored her with two outs, hitting a ball in the 5-6 hole to give CSP a 1-0 lead.
 
The next three innings were scoreless, but CSP tacked on three more runs, scoring once in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Hart led off the fifth with an infield single and stole second, allowing her to score when Schattner singled up the middle.
 
It was Hart who would drive in the next run, hitting her own single up the middle in the sixth inning to score freshman Emma Adamek, who was pinch running for Hanna Mortenson. Schattner would score the final run, this time scoring on a wild pitch in the seventh.
 
The Mavericks got their offense going right away in the game, getting two runners on in the first and one in the second. Knoche forced two groundouts to get out of the first inning and right fielder Carlson threw out an MSU runner at the plate in the second, allowing CSP to hold onto their 1-0 lead.
 
The Bears stranded another runner in scoring position in the third and held off the Maverick rally in the seventh. MSU strung together four hits to score three runs in the final inning, but the Bears got out of inning, leaving the tying run on base.
 
Knoche pitched the full seven innings for her sixth win of the season and fifth complete game. She gave up eight hits, striking out one and walking one in the outing.
 
MSU pitcher Mackenzie Ward took the loss and is now 7-7 on the year. The sophomore stranded nine CSP runners throughout the game, while also striking out 13.
 
GAME 2: CONCOCRDIA-ST. PAUL 4, MINNESOTA STATE 0
In game two, the Golden Bears recorded their second shutout of the season, scoring two runs in the fifth and two in the seventh to defeat MSU 4-0. This was the first time that CSP had shutout the Mavericks since 2010 when they won 5-0 in Rosemount.
 
Samantha Sullivan pitched her second complete game shutout of the season in the game, scattering seven hits while striking out three and walking one. Sullivan is now 7-3 on the season with a team-low 2.01 ERA.
 
Concordia outhit Minnesota State 10-7 in the game, as Hart and Schattner were once again the top producers for CSP, with two hits each. With the hits, the senior pair each have nine games with multi-hits, which is tied with Knoche for the most on the team. Schattner and Knoche split the RBIs in the contest, each driving in two runs.
 
Despite having runners on in each of the first four innings, the Golden Bears were not able to score until the fifth inning. Hart was driven in when Schattner singled through the right side and junior Kris McIntyre scored when Knoche doubled to left center.
 
McIntyre, who had reached on a hit-by-pitch in the inning, extended her reached base streak to a team-leading 15. Schattner and Hart also have a double digit reached base streak, reaching base in the last 12 and 10 games straight, respectively.
 
MSU threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth inning, loading the bases with three singles. Sullivan got out of it though, as Mortenson at first base recorded the third out of the inning unassisted.
 
The Bears added two more insurance runs in the seventh, as the first three batters singled in Hart, McIntyre, and Schattner. Schattner's single, which was up the middle, scored Hart from second. McIntyre then scored on a Knoche groundout.
 
The Mavericks opened up the bottom of the seventh with a line drive single to left field, but Sullivan and the defense did not even allow that runner to get into scoring position, recording three straight outs to secure the win.