(Owensboro, KY) - The Concordia University Softball team continued their season on Saturday afternoon as they took on the Bearcats of Brescia University for a triple header. The Cardinals came into the first game with a record of 5-2, while the Bearcats were 0-4 to start the season.
Game 1: Brescia 4, Concordia 2
The first game of the day saw Paige Anderson take the mound to start the game. Anderson would wind up going 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs while also striking out four.
The first score of the day saw a two-run single from Brescia in the bottom of the third inning. Taking a couple of innings to respond would be the Cardinals as they drew within one when Payton Lewis singled and scored Dee Campbell on the play.
The third and fourth Bearcat runs came in the bottom of the same inning as Brescia would line a double to score the final runs. Following an Abbie Begley walk, she stole second and was able to come around to score on a Campbell double.
Cassidy Kane would pitch the final 1.1 innings as she would allow one hit and struck out two batters.
Game 2: Concordia 5, Brescia 1
Hannah Duchene got the starting nod for the second game of the series as she pitched the first 6.1 innings of the game before being pulled in the seventh. She would go on to give up two hits and one earned run, striking out 6 batters. She would earn the win.
The bottom of the first saw Shannon McAlinden single and advance to second. Maddie Grueter would then double and bring McAlinden in to score. Duchene would then hit a strong ball to first that would cause an error and Grueter would score on the play.
The second inning would see the Cardinals strike again as Jada Stephenson started with a single and advanced on a Bella Lee single. Payton Lewis would strike again in this game as she singled to bring home Stephenson. The Cardinals would threaten to score more but would leave the bases open.
The sole Bearcat run came in the bottom of the third as they would grab a run off of a sacrifice fly. Adding a couple of insurance runs in the top of the seventh, Duchene singled to start the inning. Next up was Dee Campbell who would triple and score Rhodea who pinch ran for Duchene. Stephenson would hit a hardball to the Brescia shortstop that would force an error to score Campbell.
Kate Elias would come into pitch with one out in the seventh and was able to force both of the next two batters to fly out to end the game.
Game 3: Brescia 7, Concordia 5
Megan Martin was the final starting pitcher of the day for the Cardinals against the Bearcats as the Cards would look to win the series. Martin would go on to pitch five innings, allowing five hits on four earned runs. She would also strike out four batters.
The third and final game of the weekend saw game tilt in each teams direction, but ultimately the Bearcats would string a couple of hits together in the sixth to take the lead. Once again the Cardinals would strike first in the game after Shannon McAlinden singled to start the game. She would proceed to steal both second and third and come home after a Payton Lewis single. Brescia though would come back and take the lead in the bottom of the inning after a couple hits.
Roaring back in the second, Concordia would see Jada Stephenson and McAlinden cross the plate to score twice. In the third, Brescia had three runners cross the plate to take the 5-3 lead. Retaking the lead in the fourth, Concordia would see McAlinden triple to score Sara Tyrell, who would then steal home to tie the game at 5.
The winning runs from Brescia came in the bottom of the sixth as they would pair a double and single together to score.
Kate Elias would come in to start the sixth inning, only pitching 0.2 of the inning. She gave up two hits on two earned runs. Paige Anderson pitched the final 0.1 of the sixth.
The Cards will head back to the diamond next week as they will make their way down to Florida for the first game of their Spring Break trip with games beginning on March 12 against Marion and Calumet.
