SEWARD, Neb. — After coming up short in game one, the College of Saint Mary softball team scored their first conference victory in game two of their Great Plains Athletic Conference double-header at Concordia University on Monday evening.
Regarding her team’s performance, Coach Carolyn Todd Bray raved, “I’m so proud of the ladies for competing today! We played well in both games and really swung the bats well! I thought all three pitchers pitched well – especially Megan in the second game.”
CSM improves to 8-24 overall and 1-11 in GPAC action while Concordia now stands at 17-21 overall and 7-7 in conference play.
“Complete team effort. We needed every single player that we had dressed today and every single player made an impact,” beamed coach Bray, in referencing the Flames snapping their losing streak.
Game One: CUNE 10, CSM 5
College of Saint Mary, led by Shaylynn Campbell‘s 4-for-4 effort, pounded out 14 hits in the opener but stranded eight runners on base in suffering a 10-5 loss.
After falling behind early, CSM twice tied up the game. Kayla Reed singled in Ella Watts in the second for a 2-2 tie and Daisy Lowther doubled home Sydney Griffin in the third to knot the score at 3-3.
Three runs in each the fourth and fifth from Concordia gave the Bulldogs a 9-3 advantage.
Reed doubled home another run in the sixth but CUNE answered back to restore their six-run advantage.
Campbell’s final hit of the game, a two-out double in the seventh scored Savannah Schewe to make the final score 10-5.
Reliever Taryn Ganstrom (3-3) picked up the win with 4.1 quality innings out of the bullpen. She allowed two runs on seven hits after entering a tied game with runners on the corners.
Campbell (4-13) threw better than her final line indicated but suffered the loss. Lowther came on in relief to work the final 1.1 innings.
Game Two: CSM 9, CUNE 5
Kayla Reed made her debut in the leadoff spot for CSM in game two, as she drew a walk and reached base safely in three of her four plate appearances.
The Flames staked starter Megan Garcia to an early lead, scoring four runs in the top of the first on just two hits.
Aubriana Krieser doubled in a run to put CUNE on the board in the home half.
After Shaylynn Campbell singled home a run in the second, Garcia helped her own cause with two-run triple to push the Flames lead to 7-1.
Kylie Shottenki homered in the second and RBI-singles from Krieser and Delanie Voshell in the third saw Concordia trim their deficit to 7-5.
Pinch-hitter Cassie Wiseman drove in a pair with a two-run double in the sixth to give CSM some breathing room.
The game was ended in the middle of the sixth as a result of deteriorating weather conditions.
Garcia (3-10) was credited with a complete game victory.
Savannah Schewe led the Flames with a 3-for-4 game and Campbell finished 2-for-4 at the dish, both scoring a pair of runs.
Kaylei Denison (0-10) suffered the loss, allowing four runs – though just one was earned – on one hit and four walks in just two-thirds of an inning.
Coach Bray pointed to several key moments in the nightcap, saying, “big highlights in the second game were Kayla Reed in the leadoff spot, Megan Garcia‘s triple, and Cassie Wiseman‘s pinch-hit double!”
She went on to add, “our ladies have battled through a unique situation this past month and it was so rewarding for us to get back to playing like we know we are capable of playing.”
Up Next:
CSM next travels to Hastings College on Wednesday, Apr. 17 for a 4 p.m. GPAC double-header.
