MANKATO, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul softball (2-3) scored an 8-2 win over Northwest Missouri State on Sunday, securing a split with the Bearcats over the weekend at the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic at the Maverick All-Sports Dome.

The win secured splits against a pair of NCAA Central Region opponents, both members of the MIAA, Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State while the loss to Lewis was an out-of-region Division II contest.

Concordia's freshmen remained a key component of the early season success as shortstop Hannah Mihalik responded from being moved up from the eight to cleanup spot in the lineup by going 3-for-3 with two more RBIs. She collected eight RBIs in the five games over the weekend, hitting .529 (9-17).

Freshman pitcher Bryanna Olson secured her second win, pitching 5.0 innings and allowing just one unearned run on four hits with five strikeouts in her first career start. In three appearances over the weekend, Olson led CSP's pitchers with a 2.03 ERA across 10.1 innings, striking out 10.

Concordia put up five runs in the first inning, stringing together six consecutive one-out hits including an RBI triple by Amanda Parsons and a two-run triple by Hannah Mortenson. Parsons is hitting .412 (7-17) with a double, triple and a .588 slugging percentage with four runs scored in five games. She also helped hold opponents to five steals in five games, throwing out four attempted base stealers while CSP executed 10-of-12 steals.

Kris McIntyre stayed hot by going 3-for-4 with a walk and drove in CSP's final two runs with RBI singles in the third and seventh innings. She's off to a .375 start (6-16) with three runs, five RBIs and three stolen bases in five games, getting on base at a .500 clip.

She follows freshman Clara Heislen who sits atop the lineup and although she didn't collect a hit on Sunday, Heislen scored a run, drew a walk and stole a pair of bases to match McIntyre's three steals, with Grace Beseman (a freshman) also stealing her third base of the season and going 1-for-4 with a run.

Senior Kali Kaestner finished the game for Olson, allowing a run on three hits with two strikeouts in two innings.

Breck Dickey took the loss for the Bearcats, allowing five runs on five hits in a third of an inning while Rachel Smith went the rest of the way in allowing three runs (two earned) in 6.2 innings with six strikeouts.

Erin Keeney led the Bearcats at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI while Kaitlyn Weis was 2-for-4 for NWMSU.

Although Concordia posted a 2-3 opening weekend record, the Golden Bears had a near even run differential, being outscored by just one (25-24) in the three games.

CSP gets next weekend off, but returns to regional competition the following weekend with five games at the Emporia 5-State Classic hosted by Emporia State from Friday, February 21 to Sunday, February 23 where CSP will face Washburn, Emporia State, NW Missouri State, Missouri Western State and Missouri Southern State.