Concordia senior Becca Gawlista
Concordia Splits in Final Day of Action at SOU Tourney
Cavaliers Pick up Second Straight Shutout with 4-0 win against Azusa Pacific
GAME ONE: BOX SCORE
MEDFORD, Ore.—Behind seven shutout innings from Renee Santos, Concordia rolled to a 4-0 win over Azusa Pacific in the team’s first game of action at the Southern Oregon University Tournament held at US Cellular Park on Saturday.
With the win, Concordia improved to 8-0 on the season while APU dropped to 6-7.
Opening up CU’s scoring in the third, a two-out double by Kayla Vickaryous led to an RBI single from Ali Paz for the 1-0 lead.
While Santos kept the Cougars from countering, the CU attack added its final three scores in the top of the seventh with a quartet if singles.
Following a pair of fielder’s choice plays to shortstop, Vickaryous reached on an error to give the Cavs runners at first and second. Becca Gawlista followed with an RBI single through the middle and Paz replicated the feat with an RBI single to left-center to give the Cavaliers the 4-0 lead.
Azusa Pacific managed to get runners in scoring position in three innings. Opening up the third, Angie Sprague singled to shortstop and moved to second base on a stolen base but was wiped off the base paths by Concordia catcher Kyndell Andrews after trying to steal third.
The Cougars had a pair of runners on base in the fourth and the sixth while getting a player in scoring position in the seventh as the team’s best scoring opportunities.
Santos struck out APU catcher Jac Harkey to end the fourth and induced a foul-territory popup to end the sixth. After allowing a walk to Harkey to open the seventh, Santos posted the back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat and preserve the shutout.
Santos finished with 13 strikeouts while allowing just three hits and two walks in the complete-game performance. APU’s Rita Kim was charged with the loss after giving up all four CU runs. Kim struck out six for the Cougars.
The first three batters in the Cavalier lineup each registered a pair of hits with Vickaryous scoring on two occasions and Paz picking up two RBI. Sprague went 2-for-3 for APU while Bekah Weisser singled to left in the fourth for the team’s only other hit.
GAME TWO: BOX SCORE
Rally Comes up Short as Biola Tags Cavs with First Loss
MEDFORD, Ore.—Hoping to set up a possible walk-off win for the fourth time this season, a Concordia comeback against Biola fell short with a 4-2 loss in the final game of competition at the Southern Oregon University Tournament held at US Cellular Park on Saturday.
With the win, Biola improved to 8-4 on the season while Concordia dropped to 8-1.
Biola struck first with two runs on four straight singles in the third and added a solo run following a leadoff double by Krista Johnson in the fourth to grab a 3-0 lead.
After coming up empty in the first inning after drawing back-to-back walks, the Cavaliers managed just two hits until the sixth inning.
Kayla Vickaryous cracked a shot to the shortstop and beat out the throw to first to open the sixth for the Cavs. After a strikeout, Ali Paz connected on a single to left field and Cameron Way drew a walk to load the bases for the Cavs where Tina Garcia belted a drive to deep right field. Garcia rounded second and Way easily reached home safely, but the play was ruled a ground rule double after the ball curled by the outfield fence after rolling into foul territory sending Garcia back to second and taking the run off the board.
Ashlie Allison was immediately walked to reload the bases for Concordia, but the onslaught would be ended prematurely when a sharp drive by Kyndell Andrews was snatched at second by Biola’s Lauren Gandy, who made a leaping catch to snare the drive and managed to tag the runner for the unassisted double play.
Biola added a run in the seventh to make it a two-run game while Eagles’ pitcher Kristin Larson shut down the Cavs with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout in the seventh to pick up the save. Lyndsie Roberts earned the win while going 5.1 innings with five hits and the two runs allowed.
Danielle Pulfrey was charged with her first loss of the year after tallying six strikeouts but eight hits and three runs in 3.1 innings. Renee Santos finished the contest for the Cavs and struck out eight in 3.2 innings of no-hit ball.
Concordia returns to action on March 12 when it hosts British Columbia at Delta Park. Opening pitch is set for 2 p.m.