(Melbourne, FL) - The Concordia Cardinals softball team returned to play at the USSSA Space Coast Games today with a triple header. The Cardinals, newly ranked #24 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, would take on St. Thomas, #16 Indiana Wesleyan, and Trinity Christian on Thursday.
The Cardinals come into the day at 14-4 overall. St. Thomas (Bobcats) came in at 15-1, Indiana Wesleyan (Wildcats) at 7-1, and Trinity Christian (Trolls) at 5-1.
GAME 1 - ST. THOMAS 5, #24 CONCORDIA 3
Concordia sent Elyse Brittain out to the mound for their first game of the day against St. Thomas. Brittain pitched the first 4.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits, as she struck out two batters.
All three CUAA runs came in the bottom of the first frame as the Cardinals plated three. Payton Lewis singled to open the inning and Shannon McAlinden reached on an error. Katie Tobias brought home both runners with a double to left field. One batter later, Brittain would aid her own cause with a single up the middle to make it 3-0.
The Bobcats slowly chipped away at the Cardinal lead with runs in the third and fourth on a single and a groundout respectively. In the sixth inning, St. Thomas tied the game with a leadoff home run and would gain the lead on a triple and an error for a 5-3 lead. The Cardinals put runners on in the sixth and seventh, but to no avail, as St. Thomas took the game.
Cassidy Kane pitched in relief today going the final 2.2 innings after coming in to pitch in the fifth inning. Kane (1-1) allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits and she also struck out two batters.
GAME 2 - #24 CONCORDIA 8, #16 INDIANA WESLEYAN 3
Emilee Underwood pitched a complete game in the circle for the Cardinals in their second game of the day. Underwood (8-0) allowed three runs on six hits while striking out five batters in the outing.
Once again the Cardinals scored first in the game, putting up two scores in the first on an Elyse Brittain groundout when the first baseman overthrew third base to allow both runs to score. The Wildcats got one run back when they tallied a single to left field.
Two more Cardinal runs scored when Katie Tobias singled home Shannon McAlinden and Faith Cramton hit a sacrifice fly to score Payton Lewis. The fifth saw IWU inch closer with an infield single. The bottom half of the inning was when the Cardinals plated three runs. Tobias and Cassidy Kane each tallied a sacrifice fly and Jada Stephenson recorded a single up the middle for a run.
The last Wildcat run came from a solo home run to left field. The final insurance run came on a bases-loaded groundout from Elyse Brittain that scored Summer Brady.
GAME 3 - #24 CONCORDIA 7, TRINITY CHRISTIAN 6
Three pitchers combined for seven total innings with Hannah Duchene getting the start in the circle. Duchene went four innings, allowing three runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Paige Anderson was the first out of the CUAA bullpen with 1.2 innings of work, as she allowed two runs on six hits.
The Cardinals continued their streak of scoring first, putting up a run when Summer Brady took home when Payton Lewis, who safely got back to first, induced a rundown between first and second. The Trolls took the lead in the bottom of the second on a bunt single and then a sacrifice bunt.
Both teams put runs on the board when Shannon McAlinden doubled down the left-field line to score Sarah Tyrell. Trinity Christian scored on a sacrifice fly out to right field. The next three runs came from the Cardinals side of the ball, with Summer Brady hitting a sacrifice bunt and McAlinden scoring from second and then a Cassidy Kane triple to left center field.
Trinity Christian tied the game up in the sixth inning on two singles that scored a run apiece. Emilee Underwood came in with the bases loaded and two outs as she would strike the final batter of the inning out.
CUAA took the lead when Katie Tobias tripled down the left field line as Brady scored on the play. The insurance run came off the bat of Lewis who recorded an RBI groundout. The bottom of the seventh saw Underwood record the first two outs of the inning before allowing three straight hits to bring it to a 1-score game. The Trolls had runners on first and third, and Underwood induced a groundball to herself to end the game.
Underwood (9-0) finished out the final 1.1 innings for the Cardinals as she allowed one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout.
TOP PERFORMERS
Both Katie Tobias and Shannon McAlinden tallied five hits throughout the three games. Tobias had a big day bringing in the runs with five RBIs with McAlinden, Cassidy Kane, and Elyse Brittain with two apiece. Three players had triples on the day with Tobias, Kane, and, Sarah Tyrell grabbing three bases.
Emilee Underwood tallied two wins on the day over 8.1 innings to lead the team. She struck out six batters while Kane, Brittain, and Duchene each recorded two.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals will play their final doubleheader of the week tomorrow with a game against Saint Francis (IN) and one against Florida National. The first game will be at 12:15 PM with the second following.
