CU's Tina Garcia scored three runs and provided slick fielding at second for the Cavs on Sunday.
Concordia Sweeps CSU East Bay to Open Softball Season
PORTLAND, Ore.—The Concordia pitching tandem of Danielle Pulfrey and Bethany Dempster held CSU East Bay to a combined seven hits as the Cavaliers opened its season a with a pair of victories (7-1, 3-2) at Delta Park on Sunday.
Pulfrey took the mound in the opener and allowed just three hits over seven innings en route to the 7-1 win. The sophomore from Hillsboro, Ore., struck out 12 Pioneers while walking three.
The Cavs didn’t take much time getting on the board in 2009 with a single run by Denise Benedict in the bottom of the first. After singling to the third-base side, Benedict advanced via an error and a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch.
CU would add two in the second on a Benedict single which would plate Becca Gawlista and Tina Garcia.
The Pioneers would generate a run in the top of the third by way of an Amanda Tietz homer to right center but would be shut out the rest of the way.
In the nightcap, Dempster picked up her first collegiate win after giving up four hits and a pair of unearned runs. Dempster struck out three Pioneers while going the distance without issuing a walk.
Janelle Cristifaro opened up the second with a double down the left-field line which would spark the Cavs to two quick runs. After Cristifaro reached home safely by way of an RBI groundout by Rebekah Wirrkala, Samantha Daline would cross the plate following a Pioneer error.
Each team would post a single run in the fourth and East Bay returned in the fifth with an RBI groundout from Mary Ogden to cut the lead to one.
The Cavs nearly broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth, but stranded three runners after Pioneer pitcher Jesse Peterson induced a force out at home and a groundout to the pitcher to prevent any damages.
East Bay would get two runners on with just one out to threaten in the top of the seventh, but with the help of the Cavalier infield, Dempster would not yield the tying run. With a runner on third , Samantha Daline scooped up a hard-hit ball from pinch hitter Sarah Kaplan while Tina Garcia used a diving stop on the right side of the field and a quick toss to first to end the game in theatrical fashion.
A trio of Cavaliers had two-hit games in the opener with Benedict, Kayla Vickaryous and Becca Gawlista each reaching base multiple times while Daline collected two hits in the second contest. After stranding 12 runners in the first, Concordia left two runners on in the two games. The Cavs hit 8-of-12 (.750) from leadoff hitters, but just 6-of-33 (.182) with runners in scoring position.
Concordia returns to action next Saturday when it hosts the Northwest Cup at Delta Park.