WINONA, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (35-13, 17-7 NSIC) dropped a road doubleheader to Winona State (32-18, 16-8 NSIC) on Wednesday, 8-7 and 9-1. The Warriors hit a walk-off single in game one and scored eight runs in the opening inning of game two.

CSP was led on the day by seniors Alexus Houston and Annalise Scamehorn. Houston tallied three hits including a three-run home run in the first game. Scamehorn hit a game-tying solo homer in the seventh inning of game one. She also tallied an RBI double and a sacrifice fly. 

Freshman Alexis Monty hit her 21st double of the season in game one. This broke the school record for doubles in a season previously held by Amanda Yourek with 20 in 2006. 

Junior pitcher Erica McCullough pitched 6.1 innings with four strikeouts in the game one loss. This dropped McCullough's record to 22-6 on the year. Freshman Makayla Wigern pitched in game two, throwing two strikeouts. 

Concordia-St Paul dropped to a three-way tie for second place in the NSIC standings with Minnesota State (37-13, 17-7 NSIC) and Minot State (21-15, 17-7 NSIC). Winona State and Minnesota Duluth (35-14, 16-8 NSIC) are one game behind second place. 

The Golden Bears are in action for road doubleheaders this weekend against Wayne State (8-38, 4-18 NSIC) on Saturday and Sioux Falls (19-26, 10-14) on Sunday. First pitches against Wayne State are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m. 

Game One

Winona State scored on McCullough's first pitch of the game with a home run by Sam Keller. This marked back-to-back games where McCullough's first pitch was hit out of the park. 

CSP responded to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. Houston hit a single and stole second. She was rewarded for her efforts after Scamehorn brought her home on an RBI double.

The Warriors scored the next six runs in the contest, starting with another first-pitch solo home run by Keller. Winona State scored the next five runs off of four hits and a CSP error to lead 7-1. 

The Golden Bears didn't go away quietly as they tallied back-to-back singles by Clara Heislen and Danni Sharum in the fifth inning. Houston brought them in with a three-run homer, her sixth of the season, cutting the lead to 7-4.

Concordia once again chipped into the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Bryleigh Dana walked, Monty brought her in with an RBI double to right center. Riley Rosenthal hit a single up the middle, and Monty scored to cut the lead to 7-6. 

After a double play in the top of the seventh inning, Scamehorn drilled a two-out solo home run to center field, tying the game at 7-7. After a double and two intentional walks in the bottom of the seventh, Winona State's Abbie Hlas hit a walk-off single to win, 8-7. 

Houston finished with two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored. Scamehorn put up two RBIs on two hits. Heislen finished with two hits as well.

McCullough pitched 6.1 innings giving up 10 walks, including the two intentional ones at the end of the game and a hit-by-pitch. She finished the day with four strikeouts. 

Both teams finished with 10 hits in the contest, with each committing an error. The Warriors left eight runners on base compared to seven for CSP. 

Game Two

Winona State scored eight runs in the opening inning on seven walks and three hits. The contest remained an 8-0 Winona lead until the top of the fourth inning.

Sharum and Houston singled while Sydney Pelzer was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Scamehorn hit a sacrifice fly into center field, bringing in Mikayla Wigern as a pinch runner to score the opening run. 

The Golden Bears had a chance to chip into the Warrior lead once again in the fifth inning. CSP loaded the bases with two outs after two singles by Houston and Dana. Concordia grounded out on the next at-bat, leaving the bases loaded. The Warriors hit an RBI single in the sixth inning to win via run rule, 9-1. 

Winona State outhit CSP 7-6 in the game, but the Warriors didn't give up a single walk to the Golden Bears. Concordia committed the only error of the contest. 

Dana led the team, going 2-for-2 batting. Rosenthal, Sharum and Houston all tallied a hit while Scamehorn had the only RBI of the game. 

Wigern took her third loss of the season after pitching 5.2. She gave up nine earned runs with eight walks and one hit-by-pitch. The freshman threw two strikeouts in the contest.