TOPEKA, Kan. - The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (1-7) dropped the final two games of the Washburn Invitational on Monday. CSP fell to Pittsburg State (Kan.) (9-3), by a score of 6-2, and Washburn (Kan.) (10-4), by a score of 12-10. 

The Golden Bears tied their most hits in a game this season with 10 against the Ichabods. Riley Rosenthal led CSP on the day with four total hits including a triple and three RBIs. Sydney Pelzer hit two home runs against Washburn and tallied a team-high four RBIs.

Freshman Ava Blake tallied three hits including a triple. She scored three runs on the day and recorded a .455 batting average on the weekend, the highest of any Golden Bear. Alexis Monty hit the third home run of her career vs. Washburn.

The Golden Bears have a quick turnaround as they are back in action at THE Spring Games in Clermont, Florida on Thursday, Feb. 27. CSP faces No. 5 Wilmington (Del.) (1-1) at 1 p.m. and Western Oregon (2-11) at 3:15 p.m.

CSP vs Pittsburg State
The Gorillas struck first in the opening half-inning. Heather Arnett hit a single on the first pitch, and Courtney Storey brought her home on the second pitch with the aid of a CSP error. Two at-bats later, Trista Peterson doubled to give PSU a 2-0 lead. 

The Golden Bears responded in the second inning starting with a double by Rachel Novak. Rosenthal singled to get runners on second and third. Novak scored on a wild pitch and Ashlyn Peterson brought Novak in on a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 2-2. 

The score remained deadlocked until the fifth inning. After a walk, a stolen base and a single to start the inning, the Gorillas scored on a groundout. Pittsburg State added another run for a 4-2 advantage. 

Pittsburg State scored two more runs on three singles in the top of the seventh, leaving CSP one last opportunity. The Golden Bears tallied two singles, but were unable to score runs in the final inning of the game.

Rosenthal led Concordia with two hits and a run scored. Novak tallied her first double of the season. Peterson and Blake added a hit each to the offensive efforts. 

Emmy Bowne pitched all seven innings allowing five earned runs, nine hits and four walks. She tallied three strikeouts in the game, tying her season high. 

Pittsburg State was led on the mound by Ava Laurent pitching six innings. She allowed three hits and tallied five strikeouts. Laurent retired 12 straight CSP batters in the third inning to the sixth inning. 

Pittsburg State outhit CSP 9-5. The Golden Bears committed the only error of the game. Both teams left five runners on base. 

CSP vs Washburn
Blake started the game with a triple down the right-field line. Pelzer homered to give the Golden Bears a 2-0 early advantage. It didn't last long, as the Ichabods answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning off of a double, an error and two walks. 

Washburn added two more runs in the second inning to lead, 5-2. CSP answered in the third starting with singles by Haley Knoblauch and Blake. After Pelzer and Bryleigh Dana walked, Rosenthal hit a three-run triple to give CSP a 6-5 lead. 

The Ichabods scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third to tie the game. Ella Arendt hit a single and Monty homered in the fourth inning to reclaim the lead at 8-6. Blake walked on the next at-bat and Pelzer homered, giving the Golden Bears a 10-6 advantage. 

Washburn answered one again with four runs on two walks, two doubles and two singles in the bottom of the fourth. The Ichabods kept the Golden Bears scoreless and added two more runs in the sixth inning to get the victory. 

Pelzer's two home runs accounted for four RBIs and she also scored three runs in the game. She now has 13 career home runs. Blake had two hits with a walk and scored three runs. Rosenthal finished with two hits and three RBIs. 

Monty finished the game with a home run, a stolen base, two RBIs and two runs scored. Knoblauch finished with two hits and Arendt tallied the other hit. 

Tatum Dunlavy started the game pitching 1.1 innings giving up three earned runs while talling a strikeout. Abi Carter pitched 1.2 innings giving up five earned runs. Bowne took the loss in relief with one earned run on five hits and a strikeout. 

Washburn was led by Erin Boles with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored. The Ichabods tallied seven total doubles as a team. 

The Ichabods outhit CSP 12-10 and the Golden Bears committed the only two errors of the game. Concordia left two runners on base while Washburn left seven runners on base.