SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Two days after facing Augustana in Sioux Falls, the Golden Bear softball team (21-13, 8-6 NSIC) made a return trip to South Dakota, splitting a doubleheader with Sioux Falls (16-9, 6-8 NSIC). This was the second straight year that the teams have split in the series.
 
Concordia fell in game on by a score of 5-1, but bounced back in game two, using a season-high 17 hits to go on to win 10-5. The Bears will have a few days off before returning to NSIC action, next facing St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth over the weekend.
 
GAME 1: SIOUX FALLS 5, CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 1
The Bears struggled to get much offense going in game one, as Sioux Falls held a 14-5 edge in hits allowing the Cougars taking home a 5-1 win. It was a one-run game through the first four innings, with USF holding a 2-1 lead, but the Cougars scored the final three runs of the game to secure the win.
 
Concordia scored first in the contest, when Amanda Parsons singled in the second inning with two outs, stole second, and was driven in when Makenna Giese hit a single to right field. This was all the runs the Golden Bears would manage to get across, leaving five runners on base throughout the seven innings.
 
The Cougars answered CSP's run with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, using a walk and a Concordia error to get runners on. USF then bunted them over and each of them scored when Emily Hove singled through the right side.
 
In the fifth, the Cougars got their first two runners on base, but the Bears managed to get the lead runner out on a double steal play. However, the next batter singled scoring the other runner on base, giving USF a 3-1 lead. Sioux Falls would add two more insurance runs in the sixth when Emily Miller hit a two-run home run.
 
Despite giving up five runs, the Golden Bear defense also got out of some tough spots throughout the game, stranding 12 USF runners on base. CSP forced the Cougars to leave runners on base in every inning, including three runners in the fourth inning.
 
Junior Aryka Knoche pitched the first 5.1 innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on 13 hits to take the loss. Knoche is now 8-5 on the year. Kali Kaestner pitched the final 0.2 inning, giving up one hit and no runs.
 
GAME 2: CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 10, SIOUX FALLS 5
Concordia's offense was much more active in game two, as every single player in the Bears' starting lineup tallied at least one hit, with five players recording multiple hits. CSP's 17 hits in the game were the most of any game this season leading to a 10-5 win for the Golden Bears.
 
The top of the lineup hit especially well, as Carlie Hart, Kris McIntyre, and Justine Schattner all had three hits each in the game. Schattner and Hanna Mortenson led the team in RBIs, tallying three each.
 
With the three hits in the game, Hart moves into third all-time in the Concordia record book for career hits with 230. Hart surpassed current Golden Bear coaches Nicole Thompson and Amanda Yurek (229) and now only trails Katie Anderson (also a CSP coach) and Anna Bjorlin.
 
With hits in each game, McIntyre now has reached base in the previous 27 games tying a team record set in 2012.
 
Samantha Sullivan started on the mound for the Golden Bears, recording her 10^th win of the season. The junior righty pitched the first six innings giving up five runs on 11 hits. Kaestner came in partway through the final inning in relief, allowing no hits to help close out the game.
 
The Bears had a big first inning, scoring five quick runs to put some space between themselves and the Cougars. To start the rally, McIntyre reached on a bunt single and was driven in when Schattner hit a double to centerfield. Knoche walked to get two runners on and then Mortenson hit her fifth home run of the season to score three more runs.
 
CSP would add another run in the second inning, as Hart opened the inning with a single and proceeded to steal second base. This allowed her to score when Schattner hit her second double of the game, this time down the right field line. Knoche and Mortenson also got on base to load the bases, but the Cougars recorded the last two outs to avoid further damage.
 
Sioux Falls got some runs back in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on four hits, including a home run from Kaitlyn VanDerZwaag. This made it 6-3 in favor of Concordia.
 
In the sixth, the Golden Bears matched those runs to return to their six-run lead. Singles from Cam Veenbaas, Hart, and McIntyre loaded the bases and a single from Schattner scored Veenbaas. Hart and McIntyre capitalized on a USF outfield error to also cross.
 
The Cougars threatened again in the sixth, getting the first two runners on, but Sullivan struck out a batter and the Bears turned a line-out double play to get out of the inning.
 
CSP tacked on a final run in the top of the seventh as Veenbaas doubled and scored on a single from Hart.
 
Sioux Falls put together a strong effort in the seventh, hitting another two-run homer to get the game within five. Two more USF runners reached and were in scoring position, but Kaestner recorded the final two outs to seal the 10-5 win for CSP.