(Kansas City, MO) - The Concordia Cardinals softball team took on the final day of the Nationa Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) World Series today with a trio of games.
The Cardinals started the day with a 5-1 win against Geneva. In the Championship round the Cardinals fell to Southwestern Christian 2-1 before coming back and winning the winner-take-all game to win their second straight NCCAA World Series title.
��BACK-TO-BACK��@CUAA_Softball wins the NCCAA World Series for the second straight year!#gocards pic.twitter.com/JuZetcIQp1
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) May 17, 2024
This is the second time the Cardinals have won the NCCAA World Series in back-to-back years, doing so in 1998 and 1999.
GAME 1 - CONCORDIA 5, GENEVA 1
Cassidy Kane took the ball for the day's first game as she pitched the first 4.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits.
After a quick inning and a half, the Cardinals took the lead first on a fielder's choice bunt with Brooklin Cox scoring on the play. Payton Lewis reached third in the third inning but was unable to score.
The fifth inning saw the Golden Tornadoes get a run across the board with an RBI single. The Cardinals took the lead in the bottom half of the inning scoring four times in the inning. Cassidy Kane, Shannon McAlinden, and Katie Tobias all reached base to start the inning. Faith Cramton hit a three-run home run over the centerfield wall for the 5-1 lead.
Emilee Underwood came in and closed the game out and ultimately earned the win. Underwood (20-3) pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowed one hit, and struck out five of the nine batters she faced.
GAME 2 - SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN 2, CONCORDIA 1
Paige Anderson pitched a complete game in the circle for the Cardinals allowing two unearned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts.
In a tight defensive game, the Cardinals struck first in the top of the sixth inning on a Jada Stephenson groundout and an errant throw from the Eagle's first baseman to give CUAA a 1-0 lead.
In the seventh inning, the Eagles reached base a couple of times due to defensive errors. SCU would then take the first game when two runs scored on an error for the walk-off win.
GAME 3 - CONCORDIA 3, SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN 1
Emilee Underwood started the final game of the year for CUAA pitching a complete game. Underwood (21-3) allowed one run on five hits and two walks. She struck out six batters including the final one to claim the title.
Scoring started earlier in the final game of the day with both teams putting a run across the board in the first. Southwestern Christian crossed the plate with a sacrifice bunt to score their run. Shannon McAlinden scored Payton Lewis, who opened the bottom of the inning with a walk, with a double of her own to left field to tie the game at 1.
The lead turned to the Cardinals in the bottom of the third with Summer Brady starting off the inning with a walk. Following a sacrifice bunt, Cassidy Kane knocked a double to deep right field to bring in the second CUAA run.
An insurance run crossed the plate in the fourth inning when Maddy Grueter hit her second home run in as many days for the Cardinals to give them a 3-1 lead.
��END OF 4��@CUAA_Softball's Maddy Grueter DOES IT AGAIN IN THE 4TH to give the Cards a 2-run advantage!
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) May 16, 2024
SCU - 1
CUAA - 3#gocards pic.twitter.com/k78Py27LL9
The Cardinal defense made a huge play to end the top of the fifth. Underwood induced the Eagles into a fly ball to center field and McAlinden threw home for a play at the plate and a double play.
��MID OF 5��
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) May 16, 2024
DON'T RUN ON @CUAA_Softball!!! Shannon McAlinden and Katie Tobias turn a big double play to keep the lead at 2!
SCU - 1
CUAA - 3#gocards pic.twitter.com/XPgtIC8BCY
A leadoff single in the top of the seventh started an Eagle comeback attempt. Katie Tobias threw out yet another runner on a stolen base attempt. The very next play saw Faith Cramton make an incredible catch up against the Eagles dugout for out number two. The final out came form the tournament MVP, Underwood, with her sixth strikeout of the game and the 34th of the tournament.
#PlayoftheGame
— NCCAA Championships (@NCCAAChamps) May 16, 2024
There were so many good defensive plays, but this snag in foul territory by Faith Cramton helped secure back-to-back NCCAA national championships for @CUAACardinals for the first time since 1998-99! pic.twitter.com/3ppjpQB4j6
��FINAL��
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) May 17, 2024
BACK-TO-BACK for @CUAA_Softball
Emilee Underwood shuts the Eagles down with her 6th strikeout of the game as the Cardinals win the @TheNCCAA World Series!!#gocards pic.twitter.com/QQ6bPHmwAk
TOP PERFORMERS
Faith Cramton led the team with four hits throughout the three games with a double and a home run. Payton Lewis and Shannon McAlinden each recorded three hits on the day.
Emilee Underwood took home a pair of wins and recorded a 0.75 ERA on the day with 11 strikeouts over 9.1 innings. Paige Anderson pitched 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts. Both Anderson and Cassidy Kane record a 0.00 ERA.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Two Cardinals made the All-Tournament team as Emilee Underwood and Paige Anderson each made the team.
Underwood took home All-Tournament MVP with 23.1 innings pitched with a 4-0 record and an ERA of 0.30 and tallied 34 strikeouts.
Anderson, appeared in three games, starting two, going 13.2 innings, and a 1-1 record. She records an ERA of 0.00 and 13 strikeouts.
