MARYVILLE, Mo. - Concordia-St. Paul softball improved to 17-2-1 on the season with a pair of high scoring victories on Sunday, defeating Missouri Southern (15-11) 9-7 before an 11-7 win at Northwest Missouri State (6-21) at Bearcat Softball Field on Sunday afternoon.

The wins featured four home runs, a 2-run homer by Danni Sharum, 3-run shots by Grace Beseman and Clara Heislen and a grand slam by Amanda Parsons.

Concordia went 4-0 on the weekend against Missouri Southern and NW Missouri State to conclude their non-conference schedule. They'll turn their sights to the Northern Sun opener on the road at #20 Minnesota State on Tuesday, March 29 in Mankato.

GAME 1: CSP 9, Missouri Southern 7
The Golden Bears jumped out to a 4-2 lead after the first two innings before a late inning comeback featured a 5-0 run in the sixth and seventh innings for the victory, with the Lions winning the middle innings to take the lead.

Clara Heislen put CSP ahead early with a second inning 3-run homer, after she was hit by pitch and scored on Amanda Parsons' RBI single in the first inning.

In the late innings, Danni Sharum connected for her first career home run, a 2-run blast in the sixth inning to bring the Golden Bears within one, 7-6.

In the seventh, Heislen started things off with a leadoff double, moved to third on a single by Alexus Houston and scored on when Grace Beseman hit a sacrifice fly line out to left field. After Houston stole second base, she scored when Parsons beat out an infield single, rounding third after the errant throw to first for an 8-7 lead. Sydney Pelzer added another RBI, her 16th of the year, to score pinch runner Rachel Novak for a key insurance run.

In the bottom of the seventh, after the first two batters reached base against left handed reliever Erica McCullough, Bryanna Olson re-entered in save situation, getting the first two batters out before issuing a 2-out walk to load the bases.

After her 1-2 pitch missed outside, Parsons threw a strike on a line to Pelzer at second base behind the runner, who was chased to third base, allowing the runner on third to dash home with Pelzer tossing back to Parsons for the game-ending out at the plate.

McCullough picked up the win in relief, improving to 2-0 with Olson saving the game in which she started and pitched 6.0 innings, picking up her fourth save of the year.

Heislen went 3-3 with three runs, three RBIs, a double and a home from the top spot in the lineup while Parsons and Sharum each had two hits and two RBIs.

GAME 2: CSP 11, NW Missouri State 7
After falling behind 2-1 in the first two innings, Grace Beseman delivered her third home run of the weekend, a 3-run connection in the third inning.

Concordia blew the game open with a 5-run fifth inning and a 9-2 lead sparked by the grand slam off the bat of Amanda Parsons, her second home run of the season.

Beseman would add a sacrifice fly in the sixth with Parsons following with a sharp RBI single down the left field line.

Beseman finished the game with three runs and four RBIs despite being 1-for-1 at the plate, drawing a pair of walks and adding the late sacrifice fly.

Parsons finished with six RBIs in the win, going 3-for-4 at the plate as the 3-4 hitters for CSP combined to go 4-5 with four runs and 10 RBIs.

The late inning insurance runs came in handy for CSP, as NW Missouri State rallied late for three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh, ending the game with runners on 1st and 3rd as Parsons threw the runner out at second base trying to steal with two outs.

Olson improved to 11-1 with the win, striking out four across 5.0 innings in allowing seven runs (four earned). Kristi Pilz worked the final 2.0 shutout innings, allowing a hit and a walk.