WAYNE, Neb.- The Concordia-St. Paul softball team advanced to 5-1 (0-0 NSIC) today after an extra innings win over Truman State (1-1, 0-0) 4-3 to open up play in the ESU Tri-Quad Tournament. The Bears handed Truman their first loss of the season after defeating Wayne State earlier in the afternoon 13-3.
Avery Johnson had two runs on the day, placing fourth among her teammates in the category this season. In three at-bats, Amanda Parsons had two hits, one RBI, and one walk. She also led her team with 12 putouts.
Aside from scoring a run, Grace Beseman had three hits and one RBI in four at-bats. She also had three stolen bases on Friday, tying for second in program history for most stolen bases in a single game. This is her second time reaching this record.
Pitcher Breonna Olson served on the mound for 9.0 innings in which she had 11 strikeouts through 40 batters faced. She allowed seven hits, three runs, and six walks.
Parsons earned her sole RBI of the day in the first frame, singling down the left line and sending in Beseman to put the Bears up 1-0. Parsons now has six runs batted in and Beseman secured her sixth run of 2022.
The one-run lead carried through four scoreless innings before the Bulldogs got on the board.
A bases-loaded walk by Emily Eberwine and a hit by Emma Walbert allowed Sydney Parkerson to score to take a two-run lead at the top of the sixth for TSU. Walbert reached on a fielder's choice, advancing runners to second, third, and home.
The Bears, trailing at the bottom of the seventh, had a successful last ditch effort to stay in the game. Emma Lero, pinch hitting for Taylor Griffin, sent the game into extra innings after getting one hit and one RBI in one at-bat. Her double to right field sent Johnson in, securing her fourth run of the season and first of the game.
Additionally, a single to the pitcher by Clara Heislen advanced runner Rachel Novak to third but the game-winning run was then waved out at home, 1-6-3-2.
A Truman run in the seventh was responded to by the Bears through the bat of Beseman to keep play alive 3-3. The sophomore singled up the middle, earning her third RBI of the season. The hit sent Heislen in for her fifth run of the season.
Unable to score in the top of the ninth, the Bears capitalized on the opportunity to finish the game. Cam Veenbaas reached on a fielding error by the left fielder, giving Johnson her second run of the game, unearned, securing a win for CSP.
The Bears will face Truman State again tomorrow at 3 p.m. after the Bears play Newman (Kan.) at 1 p.m. on day two of the tournament.
