CU's Ali Paz went 2-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored in a Saturday sweep of NCU.
Santos and Pulfrey Post Shutouts in CU Sweep
BOX SCORE: GAME 1
BOX SCORE: GAME 2
PORTLAND, Ore.— Allowing just five hits in the doubleheader, Concordia defeated Northwest Christian 3-0 and 7-0 in a Cascade Collegiate Conference softball doubleheader played at Delta Park on Saturday.
Its sixth and seventh straight win, Concordia improved to 15-1 on the season and 4-0 in league play while NCU fell to 10-13 overall and 0-2 in CCC contests.
Both starters got off to a scorching start in the opener as CU’s Renee Santos (7-0) and NCU’s Brooke Davis (5-7) held the offenses scoreless through the first four innings.
With Santos retiring the first 16 batters of the game, CU finally delivered at the plate in the fifth with back-to-back singles from Kayla Vickaryous and Mallory Callahan before junior shortstop Ali Paz connected on a ball to deep center field.
Getting a read on the drive, NCU centerfielder Cassie Bishop nearly brought the ball in before crashing through the outfield fence where the ball landed out of play for a three-run homer. The single swing would be all the Cavaliers would need as Santos kept the Beacons at bay by holding NCU to singles in the sixth and seventh frame.
Kristen DeHaven reached on a one-out single to right center in the sixth and moved to second on a grounder to third in the next at bat for the lone runner the Beacons placed in scoring position. DeHaven would be stranded at second with a Santos strikeout to end the threat. Brittany Robles hit a two-out single to left center in the seventh but Santos followed by delivering her 13th strikeout of the game to end the contest for a complete-game win in which she faced just two batters over the minimum.
The Cavaliers outhit the Beacons 7-2 with Vickaryous and Callahan each collecting a pair of hits. CU advanced runners to third in both the second and the third innings, but Bishop managed to generate fly-ball outs in both stanzas to escape damage. Bishop finished seven strikeouts and seven hits allowed in the loss.
Nearly matching Santos’ performance, CU’s Danielle Pulfrey (6-1) allowed just three hits, all of which were singles, in a 7-0 win in the second game of the day. Pulfrey punched out six batters, including three in the third inning of play, en route to her sixth win of the season.
Getting started an inning earlier, Cameron Way broke open a scoreless game in the fourth with a two-run homer, her third in the past two days. In the next inning, the Cavs strung together a string of eight straight batters that reached safely on the way to a five-run frame. After a lead-off out to left field, Tara Baglai got the spree started with a double to right center and would score the first run of the inning via a bases-loaded single off the bat of Callahan.
Paz would follow with an RBI single and Way continued with a bases-loaded walk to send Callahan home. Becca Gawlista provided the final sting with an RBI single to center field.
The Beacon offense placed a runner at second on two two-out occasions but came up empty. Emma Armstrong stroked a single through the middle and moved to second with a stolen base but was stranded there with a Pulfrey strikeout which halted the danger in the third.
In the fourth, Davis reached on a single to left and advanced a base with a sacrifice bunt from Megan Mazanec but was left on the basepaths after a grounder to second ended the inning.
Davis took the loss after pitching the first four innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
Concordia tallied nine hits to the Beacon’s three. Gawlista and Callahan both posted 2-for-3 performances at the plate.
The Cavaliers return to action on March 25 when it travels to face 2009 CCC champions The College of Idaho. NCU will travel to face Corban College on March 23.