MANKATO, Minn. — The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (23-20, 12-8 NSIC) came away with a split on the road against the Minnesota State Mavericks (26-20, 13-9) on Sunday afternoon in Mankato. MSU took the opening game of the doubleheader, 4-2 before the Golden Bears got the better of the Mavericks with a 4-3 win in 10 innings in the back end of the double dip to snap a four game losing skid. 

Lily Burke came up with three hits in six trips to the plate, smacking one double in game two while driving in one run, scoring two runs and stealing two bases. Alexis Monty and Ava Blake both went 2-for-5 in the game two win for CSP. Monty smacked a double, while drawing a walk and scoring a run, Blake scored a run and swiped two bases. 

In the circle Emmy Bowne started game one and tossed 4.1 innings giving up five hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts, taking the loss to fall to 10-10 on the season. Bowne came on in relief in game two and tossed 4.1 innings, giving up just one hit and no earned runs with one punchout, picking up the win and improving to 11-10 on the year. 

Tatum Dunlavy started game two and went 4.1 innings, giving up eight hits and two earned runs with one strikeout to leave with a no decision. 

The Golden Bears return to Carlander Field on Tuesday afternoon, April 21 for a doubleheader with the St. Cloud State Huskies. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m. 

Game One: CSP 2, MSU 4 

The Maverick lineup jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. MSU plated the first runs of the game on a two RBI double to right center field, before opening up a 3-0 lead on a sacrifice fly to left. 

CSP loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second, but couldn't come up with a two out knock and left the bases loaded. 

In the bottom of the third a leadoff Maverick single gave way to a sacrifice bunt before opening up a four run lead on a RBI groundball single up the middle. 

Lily Burke got the Golden Bears into the hit column in the fifth with a leadoff double to the left center field gap. Monty followed by reaching on a Maverick error to put two on with no outs. A two out wild pitch later put both runners in scoring position and another Maverick miscue allowed Danni Sharum to reach first and both runners to score, cutting the deficit to 4-2. 

Abi Carter came on in relief of Bowne in the fifth and got the final two outs of the inning, before working out of a one out bases loaded jam in the sixth with an inning ending 1-2-3 double play. 

CSP went down in order in the seventh however, dropping game one of the doubleheader, 4-2.

Game Two: CSP 4, MSU 3 (10 Inn.) 

Minnesota State struck first again in game two, breaking the seal on a two RBI single to left field in the bottom of the second inning. 

The Golden Bears responded immediately in their next turn at the plate, loading the bases on three consecutive singles by Burke, Monty and Blake. Riley Rosenthal lofted a fly ball to right on a 3-2 count with the sacrifice fly turning into a two base error after the Maverick right fielder failed to secure the catch. Two runs came around to score on the miscue and put the go ahead run on third base. 

Danni  Sharum followed with a sacrifice fly and RBI to left to give CSP a 3-2 lead in the top of the third. 

Tatum Dunlavy held the Mavericks off the board in each of the next two innings, working around a two out single that put runners on the corners in the fourth to preserve the one run lead. 

Abi Carter came on in relief with one out in the fifth and recorded the final two outs of the inning. 

Looking for an insurance run Lily Burke coaxed a walk and stole second to get into scoring position with two outs in the sixth. Monty later walked to put two on but a two out base hit eluded the Golden Bears and the score remained 3-2. 

A walk, wild pitch and ground out put the tying run at third with two outs in the sixth for the Mavericks. Another wild pitch brought the tying run home after a play at the plate, Emmy Bowne came on in relief and got the final out of the inning with a lineout to Monty at short. 

Neither side pushed a run across in the seventh as the game went to extra innings. Emmy Bowne worked around a two out walk to complete her second scoreless inning of work in relief in the eighth. 

Alexis Monty led off the ninth by legging out a double to short right field, Ava Blake kept the rally going with an infield single and steal of second to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. 

But CSP failed to push the go ahead run across and the game remained tied a three apiece. 

Bowne retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to keep the game tied as CSP looked for the go ahead run. Nora Brandt worked a leadoff walk to start the 10th, before Haley Knoblauch and Emmy Bowne both singled to load the bases. 

Lily Burke came up with a key sacrifice fly to left to push across the go ahead run as CSP took a 4-3 lead. 

After an error put the leadoff runner on in the bottom half of the 10th, Emmy Bowne locked things down with a strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play to end it, securing the 4-3 CSP victory.