SOU Rally Saves Split with Concordia
ASHLAND, Ore. -- The SOU Raider softball team staged a four-run seventh inning rally in game two of a doubleheader against Concordia University of Portland and earned a split a pair of Cascade Conference games.
Concordia won game 1, 6-4 while SOU took the second games 8-7. With the split the Cavaliers and Raiders remain one game apart with six to play for the final two league playoff berths.
Game 1
The Cavaliers scored three times in the top of the first inning and never trailed. Illias singled to start the game, followed by a single by Denise Benedict. Both advanced a base on a passed ball and Illias would score on a fly ball sacrifice by Cristofaro from Central Point. 1-0 CU. An error by Savannah Sanatoa at second allowed Wirkkala to reach first scoring Benedict and CU led 2-0. Tina Garcia then doubled in Wirkkala and the Cavs led by three before anyone knew it. SOU started Alicia Caudil, honored before the game as the programs only four-year player, settled down after that and held CU at bay until the fourth inning.
SOU would score one in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Baily Price to score Caudill who reached on an error by the first basemen. CU took a 6-1 lead by adding three more runs in the fourth. Garcia singled and was sacrificed to second. She scored on a single by Mabe. Illias would double in Mabe then Benedict did the same for Ilias. Three quick runs made it 6-1 Cavaliers.
SOU ansered with three in the bottom of the fourth - Price doubled, Megan Laughlin singled and Danielle Stratton hit a three run homer for SOU to right field and the score was 6-4 for Concordia.
CU pitcher Danielle Pulfrey seemed to get stronger holding SOU to only two hits over the final three innings and won the game for Concordia. Pulfrey's record moved to 14-8. Caudill took the loss and is 6-9.
Game 2
Game two came down to the bottom of the seventh inning for SOU. They put together a four run rally to beat Concordia 8-7. It was a game that saw the lead change three times.
As in game one, Concordia scoree three times in the first inning and led 3-1 goinginto the bottom of the fourth inning. Again, the Cavs put together three hits, a Raider error to account for the early 3-0 lead.
SOU's offense got going against CU starter Cristofaro in the fourth inning - Stratton and Sanitoa singled and Riekeman walked loading the bases with nobody out. Caudill and Coultas would knock in three runs in the inning and SOU led 4-3.
It was only a brief lead as CUCristofaro trhiped in Benedict who had singled to start the top of the fifth inning. She would later score on a single by Wirkkala and just like that CU had the lead back at 5-4.
The lead increased by two more in the seventh. With two on and one out Wirkkala reached on a costly error by Sanatoa which allowed two runners on base to score and the Cavalieres held a seemingly insuyrmountable lead of 7-4 goinginto the bottom of the sevneth. Then SOU staged its miracle comeback.
Simon walked and Price singled. Stratton then signled and the bases were loaded with nobody out. Laughlin got one run home on a single and SOU trailed 7-5. Price scored on a fielders choice play by Sanitoa and the lead was down to one 7-6. SOU tied the game on a single by Caudill scoring Laughlin from third. SOU won the game when Ricci Coultas hit a shrpe ball to first base but the fielder booted the ball allowing Sanitoa to score the winning run and SOU won 8-7.
Pulfrey took the loss for CU, she came in on relief of Cristifaro in the fifth but couldn't hold the lead for the Cavs. Pulfrey is now 14-10 and Riekeman was the winning pitcher and is 6-9.
SOU plays at Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho next weekend while Concordia plays a DH against Northwest Christian.
SOU is now 12-18 overall and 10-8 in league play. CU is 16-13 and 11-7.