(Kissimmee, FL) - After a much-needed off-day after playing eight games in four days the Concordia University Softball team was back on the diamond as they took on three games throughout the day on Thursday. The teams that the Cardinals took on were the Trojans of Hannibal-LaGrange for a pair of games and the Spartans of Missouri Baptist. Concordia entered with a record of 10-8, while the Trojans entered at 2-10 and the Spartans were 4-8.
Game 1: Concordia 7, Hannibal-LaGrange 2
Hitting the bump in the first game of three on the day was Paige Anderson. Anderson would go on to pitch a complete game while only allowing two runs on five hits while tacking on four strikeouts.
After a quick first inning, both teams were able to cross the plate multiple times. Hannibal-LaGrange was able to single and then bring in two runs with a home run to left-center field. The Cardinals would not take long to strike back in the inning though as they tallied runs with three straight hits from Shannon McAlinden, Maddy Grueter, and Payton Lewis to bring the score to 4-2.
The Cards would add another run in the fourth inning as Lewis would hit a bloop single to left field and be able to score Grueter on the play for the 5-2 lead. Starting off the sixth inning McAlinden would come up to the plate and hit a deep ball to left field that went to the fence and she was able to come around to third for the triple. A couple of pitches later she would score off of a wild pitch. Still in the sixth, a couple of batters later the Cards would take advantage of a throw to second and score on a successful double steal.
Game 2: Concordia 5, Missouri Baptist 3
Getting the starting nod for the second game of the day was Hannah Duchene. She would go 6.1 innings allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out two batters.
With the first two innings going quick the two teams would trade leads in the third inning as Concordia struck first with a single from Kennedy Cornette to right field to score Maddy Grueter. The Spartans though would go right back to the plate and take the lead with a couple of runs themselves. Following a sacrifice fly out to center field, Missouri Baptist would lay down a bunt with a runner at third to pick up their second run of the game.
The two teams would then trade scoreless innings before Grueter came up in the top of the fifth as she would knock her second home run out of the park to left field to tie the game at two apiece. Taking back the lead in the sixth inning was the Spartans as they would plate another run off of a sacrifice fly.
The final inning of the game saw the Cardinals hitting pick up a couple of clutch hits and bunts as they were able to grab three runs off of the Spartan defense. Grueter began the inning with a double to center field and after an error, Kennedy Cornette would lay a bunt down and score Grueter after the catcher dropped the tag for the lead. Abbie Begley would then be able to lay down another bunt and reach safely and score Payton Lewis. Two batters later Bella Lee would tally the final run of the game on a single to left field. The bottom half of the inning saw MBU load the bases up with one out, but would not be able to score.
Coming in for the save was Kendall Kahl as she would pitch to the final two batters of the game, striking out one of them.
Game 3: Hannibal-LaGrange 4, Concordia 1
After earning the save in game two of the day Kendall Kahl would take the mound for the final game of the day and the second against Hannibal-LaGrange. She would proceed to throw 4.1 innings and give up three runs on six hits and strike out 3 batters.
The game would see the first score come from the Trojans in the bottom of the first as they would grab two runs off of Cardinal pitching as they would hit back-to-back singles. In the fourth inning, the Cardinals would cut the lead in half as Kennedy Cornette started it with a double to center field. After a walk to Dee Campbell, a passed ball would put runners on second and third. With an error from the Trojan's second baseman, Cornette was able to score.
The Trojans wound up getting that run back in the fifth inning as they knocked a home run over the left-field fence to go back up by two runs. They would add another insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as well as they would hit a single into the gap that Cardinal shortstop was not able to make a play on. The Cards would threaten in the seventh with Grueter hitting a double to left field to score one run, but a throw form the Trojan outfielder to home, was enough to get Lewis out at the plate.
Hannah Duchene would come into pitch in relief in the fifth inning. She would pitch the final 1.2 innings. Duchene would end up giving up one run on three hits.
The Cardinals will take on another triple-header tomorrow as they will take on the College of St. Marys twice at 10:15 am and 2:45 pm. In the middle of those games, they will take on Hannibal-LaGrange for their third time in two days.
