ABERDEEN, S.D. - Erica McCullough pitched 10.2 innings without giving up a run in Concordia-St. Paul's (26-6, 8-0 NSIC) 6-0 and 12-5 victories against Northern State (15-13, 1-7 NSIC) on Saturday afternoon. The 8-0 NSIC record is Concordia's best start to conference play in program history. 

McCullough threw a season-high eight strikeouts in the game-one victory with 10 total on the day. The junior picked up the victory in both contests, pushing her record to 15-2 on the year. The left-handed pitcher only allowed seven hits on the day. 

Freshman Alexis Monty scored five times with four hits. The freshman has recorded a hit in 28 straight games and bumped her season batting average up to .550. Junior catcher Danni Sharum picked up four hits and three RBIs, all of which came in the second game. Sophomore shortstop Riley Rosenthal tallied three hits, three RBIs and scored four times. 

The Golden Bears claimed the top spot in the NSIC after another 4-0 weekend. CSP surpassed the previous program-best 6-0 conference starts that were reached in 2006, 2008 and 2021. 

Concordia-St. Paul is in action on Tuesday in Winona, Minnesota against the Winona State Warriors (21-13, 5-3 NSIC). The Golden Bears are home next weekend on April 6-7 for doubleheaders against St. Cloud State (20-12, 3-3 NSIC) and Minnesota Duluth 21-10, 2-4 NSIC). 

Game One

Concordia-St. Paul loaded the bases with the first three batters reaching on two walks and an error. After two strikeouts, junior shortstop Sydney Pelzer brought in the game's first run after taking a pitch to the ankle on the fourth ball. On the next at-bat, senior Annalise Scamehorn hit a 2RBI shot to center field, putting CSP up 3-0 in the opening inning. 

After McCullough recorded two strikeouts in the bottom of the opening inning, Monty started the second inning with a ground-rule double. Due to the fence being 10 feet short of NCAA regulations in the Aberdeen City Dome, all hits over the fence were ruled ground rule doubles. 

Rosenthal singled up the middle to bring in Monty for the fourth run. After senior Clara Heislen walked, outfielder Alexus Houston hit a 2RBI single to give CSP a 6-0 advantage. 

Northern State threatened in the fifth inning with runners on second and third, but McCullough ended it by forcing a groundout. The Wolves loaded the bases in the final inning to threaten again. McCullough struck out the final batter to preserve the shutout and struck out all three batters in the seventh inning. 

McCullough pitched all seven innings throwing a season-high eight strikeouts. She threw four walks and gave up four hits. This is the junior's second complete-game shutout of the season.

Monty led the team going 3-3 batting with two runs scored. Houston and Scamehorn each finished with a hit and an RBI. Rosenthal finished with a hit and an RBI. 

The Golden Bears finished with seven hits as a team. Northern State had the only error of the game. The Wolves left nine runners on base compared to seven for the Golden Bears. 

Game Two

Monty and Rosenthal started the game with a pair of doubles putting CSP up 1-0. After Heislen walked, Sharum recorded her first hit of the day bringing Rosenthal in for the score. Scamehorn hit an RBI triple, giving the Golden Bears an opening 4-0 advantage.

Northern State answered by scoring for the first time on the day with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Golden Bears responded in the second inning with a pair of RBI singles by Heislen and Sharum. Northern State added a run in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to 6-4.

The Wolves picked up another run in the bottom of the fourth inning before the Golden Bears had their best inning of the day in the fifth. Sharum and Houston started it strong with a pair of singles and Pelzer walked to load the bases. Junior outfielder Avery Johnson singled pushing the lead to 7-5. 

After junior Rachel Novak walked to bring in another run, Rosenthal hit a ground-rule double extending the lead to 10-5. Sharum walked with the bases loaded once again to make it a six-run fifth inning, giving CSP an 11-5 advantage. 

The Golden Bears picked up their 12th and final run in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Heislen. After a pair of singles in the bottom of the inning by the Wolves, McCullough got the last two outs of the game on a strikeout and a groundout. 

McCullough picked up the victory by pitching 3.2 innings without giving up any earned runs. She threw two strikeouts and gave up three hits. The junior relieved freshman Makayla Wigern in the fourth inning when CSP had a 6-4 lead with two runners on base. Wigern pitched 3.1 innings giving up five earned runs on six hits. 

Sharum led the hitting efforts for the Golden Bears with four hits and three RBIs. Rosenthal tallied three RBIs on two hits. Heislen finished with two RBIs on two hits. Monty scored three times total in the contest. 

Concordia-St. Paul outhit Northern State 14-9. The Wolves had two errors and CSP had one. The Golden Bears left 10 runners on base compared to nine for Northern State. CSP struck out seven times.