CU's Becca Gawlista went 2-for-6 with two runs and four RBI against SFU on Sunday.
Slam Helps Concordia Sweep No. 9 Simon Fraser
GAME 1: BOX SCORE
GAME 2: BOX SCORE
Gawlista Grand Slam Upends Simon Fraser
PORTLAND, Ore.—Coming into the matchup with just four home runs, Concordia smashed three long balls, including a go-ahead grand slam in the opening to sweep No. 9-ranked Simon Fraser (5-2, 6-4) in NAIA softball action held at Delta Park on Sunday.
With the results, Concordia improved to 11-1 on the season while SFU dropped to 8-4.
Behind a two-hitter from CU pitcher Renee Santos, the Cavaliers defeated SFU 5-2 in the opener. Simon Fraser got off to a quick start with a home run by Kelsey Haberl following a leadoff walk from Jessie Harris to give the Clan a 2-0 lead.
A leadoff double by Tina Garcia followed by an RBI single off the bat of Kyndell Andrews cut the lead to a single run in the second. The Cavaliers would continue its assault in the third when the team loaded the bases on a double from Kayla Vickaryous, Ali Paz taking first on a hit by pitch and Cameron Way drawing a walk.
With two outs on the board, Becca Gawlista cleared the bases on a single swing to give the Cavaliers a 5-2 lead which would prove to hold as neither team would generate another run the rest of the way.
Haberl posted the only two hits for the Clan in the game with a leadoff double in the sixth to add to her homer in the first as Santos sent the Clan down in order in the third, fourth fifth and seventh innings.
Santos finished with 14 strikeouts to pick up her fifth win of the year. The Cavs outhit SFU 7-2 with all seven hits coming from different players.
Thorp and Way Homer as Concordia Nabs Second Win over Simon Fraser
PORTLAND, Ore.—After using a second-inning grand slam to go ahead in the opener, Concordia had to wait until the later innings for the go-ahead runs as a Laura Thorp home run in the sixth powered the Cavaliers to a 6-4 win over No. 9 Simon Fraser in the second game of a softball doubleheader played at Delta Park on Sunday.
For the second straight game, Simon Fraser (8-4) grabbed the early lead against the Cavaliers (11-1) as the Clan’s Leah Riske belted a solo shot in the top of the second for a 1-0 advantage. CU’s Cameron Way duplicated the feat with a solo homer of her own to lead off the bottom of the second, but was followed by a trio of singles that enabled the Cavs to take its first lead of the game.
Becca Gawlista followed Way with a single to right and was quickly moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from teammate Tina Garcia and to third via a passed ball. Gawlista easily trotted home on a one-out single through the middle from Kyndell Andrews.
Responding in the third, Simon Fraser used a walk and three hits, including a three-run homer by Brittany Mayers to stake a 4-2 lead. In the next frame, Garcia and Andrews would play key parts in a second CU rally as the No. 6 and 7 hitters registered back-to-back RBI singles to plate Mallory Callahan and Ali Paz, who both reached on singles earlier in the inning.
Tied at 4-all, The Cavs went down in order in both the fourth and the fifth inning before Thorp’s two-run blast with Garcia on third went down in the books as the game-winning scores.
Now sporting a two-run lead, CU pitcher Bethany Dempster faced four batters in the top of the seventh, ending the game with a pair of innocent grounders to pick up her second win of the season.
Concordia outhit the Clan 11-5 with Way, Garcia, Andrews and Thorp each posting a pair of hits. Concordia returns to action on March 19 when it opens Cascade Collegiate Conference play at home against Corban College. Opening pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Delta Park.