ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The Concordia-St. Paul softball team wrapped up play at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament this afternoon. The Golden Bears earned a split, taking down Southwest Minnesota State 11-3 in six innings to start the day, before falling St. Cloud State 2-1 in game two.
Danni Sharum had two hits on the day, going 2-for-5 while driving in four runs in game one and stealing two bases. Alexis Monty reached base safely in all five of her plate appearances against SMSU, going 2-for-2 at the plate with three walks, with one double and two runs scored. Lily Burke went 2-for-2 with two walks, four runs scored and swiped two bags in the leadoff spot against SMSU.
In game two, Ava Blake went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Lily Burke drew one walk and scored the Golden Bears only run. Nora Brandt and Riley Rosenthal tallied CSP's other two hits against the Huskies.
Emmy Bowne improved to 2-0 in the circle this season, tossing six innings, allowing three earned runs, 10 hits and striking out three in the eight run win over the Mustangs. Tatum Dunlavy got the start in game two, taking a tough loss, going 4.1 innings allowing two earned runs on five hits and fanning one batter.
The Golden Bears are back in action Thursday, Feb. 19 against Wayne State (Mich.) at the Lewis Dome Invitational in Romeoville, Illinois. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
Game One: CSP 11, SMSU 3 (6 Innings)
The Golden Bears were patient at the plate in game one, drawing three walks to load the bases with no outs in the top of the first. Danni Sharum brought home the game's first run after reaching on fielder's choice.
After plating two in the first, CSP tacked on three more in the second. Alexis Monty drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the third run, with a Sharum fielder's choice bringing home another with a Katie Klotz sacrifice fly making it 5-0.
Alexi Monty smoked a double to the right-center field gap, plating Riley Rosenthal to open up a 7-1 CSP lead.
The Golden Bears tacked on two more in the fifth and the sixth, to open an eight run advantage. Bowne held the Mustangs scoreless in the bottom half of the sixth to cap the 11-3 win.
Game Two: CSP 1, SCSU 2
CSP got on the board first once again, putting runners on the corners with no outs in the top of the first. Monty hit a grounder to short allowing Rosenthal to score the game's first run.
The Huskies answered in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases and tying the game at one on a fielder's choice. Dunlavy worked out of bases-loaded jam later in the inning, forcing the Huskies to ground into an inning-ending double play to keep the game knotted at one.
St. Cloud scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single to left center. The Golden Bears failed to answer, dropping game two to the Huskies, 2-1.
