MANKATO, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (1-3) took a pair of tough losses on Saturday at the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic, falling 9-7 in eight innings to Lewis University before a 5-2 loss to Emporia State to end the day at the Maverick All-Sports Dome.

The Golden Bears conclude the season opening event with a rematch with Northwest Missouri State on Sunday at 11 a.m.

Junior catcher Amanda Parsons went 6-for-8 at the plate in the two games while freshman Hannah Mihalik continued her strong start to her rookie season, going 3-for-7 with a run and two more RBIs. Parsons is hitting .462 (6-13) in the first four games while Mihalik is hitting .429 (6-14) with a team-high six RBIs.

GAME 1: Lewis 9, Concordia 7 (8 innings)
Concordia started the day strong, as senior Hannah Carlson's RBI single scored Kris McIntyre in the first inning. In the second, the top of the CSP lineup produced three straight run scoring singles, freshman Clara Heislen followed by McIntyre's two-run single and Aryka Knoche's RBI single gave Concordia a 5-0 lead.

While Lewis tacked on two runs in the third, CSP pushed the lead back to five runs with a pair of runs in the fourth inning capped by Amanda Parsons' two-out RBI single to score Carlson for the second run of the frame.

Lewis answered with two in the bottom of the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to tie the game.

Meanwhile, Concordia wasn't able to cash in on its chances, leaving runners in the second through sixth innings, coming up empty with two on and out in the third, the bases loaded in the fifth, and first and third in the sixth.

In the top of the eighth, Hannah Mortenson hit a one-out double to right and Parsons singled to left, taking second on the play but CSP left runners on second and third with one out.

In the bottom of the inning, Flyers' eighth batter Olivia Magaldi ended the game with a two-out, two-run home run to left field off Knoche, who took the loss in relief after striking out four across 2.1 innings.

Concordia pounded out 16 hits led by Parsons with a 4-for-5 game while McIntyre was 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBIs and her third steal in as many games to start the year. Freshman Hannah Mihalik was 2-for-4 with a walk and Carlson was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI.

Lewis was led by Elexi Swartzentruber, who went 3-for-4 from the cleanup spot with three RBIs while Magaldi was 2-for-4 with two runs, three RBIs and the walk-off homer.

Katie David picked up the relief win for the Flyers, improving to 2-0 with 2.0 shutout innings.

GAME 2: Emporia State 5, Concordia 2
The Hornets jumped on the Golden Bears with a four-run first inning off of a pair of two-run singles, the second of which coming with two outs. CSP senior pitchers Samantha Sullivan responded by striking out the final batter of the inning to start a string of four straight strikeouts.

Sullivan, along with fellow senior right handed pitcher Aryka Knoche, combined to post five straight shutout innings against the Hornets to keep the squad in the contest. Sullivan finished her 4.0 innings with five more strikeouts, giving her 12 strikeouts across 8.1 innings in two starts on the year.

Knoche allowed just one run across 3.0 innings of relief, striking out a pair and has posted a 2.86 ERA in 7.1 innings while appearing in three games as a pitcher.

Concordia clawed back immediately with Hannah Mihalik driving in a pair with a single in the second inning, bringing home Hannah Mortenson and Amanda Parsons.

In the third, Kris McIntyre led off with a walk and was moved up to third with two outs but stranded there. She had three walks in her four plate appearances in the game.

While Concordia left six on base in the game, only two were left in scoring position as Kerrigan Dixon was strong for ESU in scattering five hits and three walks in a complete game win. Hannah Steeby was 3-for-4 with a seventh inning solo home run and Brittanie Shepherd was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Parsons went 2-for-3 while Mortenson and Mihalik were each 1-for-3 for CSP, and Emma Lero added a pinch hit single in the seventh inning.