CU senior Ashley Suter went 3-0 witn a 0.86 earned-run average over the weekend in California.
CU Softball Completes Weekend Sweep at Simpson Tourney
REDDING, CALIF.—A day after outscoring three teams 30-5 at the Simpson Tournament, Concordia softball remained undefeated with three wins in much tighter circumstances on Saturday to improve to 6-0 on the season.
The Cavaliers opened the day with a 7-0 win over the tournament host Simpson University and came back to register 3-1 and 3-2 wins against Biola and William Jessup to close out the tourney.
Concordia vs. Simpson
After scoring in the first inning in all three games on Friday, Concordia didn’t cross the plate until the fourth frame, but a strong pitching performance from Ashley Suter neutralized Simpson en route to a 7-0 win in the morning game of the Simpson Tournament.
A day after tossing a three-hit complete-game win, Suter returned to the circle with a four-hit shutout against the host Redhawks. Suter retired the first six batters she faced before a leadoff walk to start the fourth broke the string of outs.
Simpson would place runners at second and third with just one out in the fourth, but a pop up to first and a fly to left ended the scoring threat.
The Cavs, meanwhile, used three straight singles by Laura Luther, Cassidy Horner and Katie Aden to plate three runs in the fourth. Luther returned with an RBI single in the sixth to score Kyndell Andrews, who reached on a triple to right, and Luther later scored on a single to right by Robin Gawlista to extend CU’s lead to 4-0.
Freshman Taylor Copher helped CU to its final tally with a lead-off double in the seventh. Horner drove Copher home with a drive to center before Aden came back to blast a pitch over the left-field fence for her first home run of the season.
Suter ended the game with four strikeouts against two walks for her second win in as many days.
Concordia vs. Biola
Facing a deficit for the first time in 2013, Concordia posted a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back on the way to a 3-1 win over Biola University in the middle game of the day.
Biola struck first in the game with a two-out solo shot to right-center by first baseman CeCe Luster.
The Cavaliers didn’t waste time in their retaliation as leadoff hitter Kate Santos drew a walk and was followed by a bunt single by Jennifer Lutton to setup a score of their own. Two batters later and with one out, Kyndell Andrews placed a ball to left field to load the bases for the Cavs where Laura Luther and Cassidy Horner delivered hard shots for RBIs.
Luther came back in the sixth for an added insurance run by connecting on her third home run of the tournament.
After allowing the single run in the first, CU starter McKenzie Marshall kept the Eagles at bay with just five additional hits spread out over the seven-inning complete game.
Concordia vs. William Jessup
Powering the ball over the left-field fence on the first pitch of the game against William Jessup, Kate Santos continued Concordia’s early season trend of scoring in the first inning.
Still in the first, Jennifer Lutton followed with a walk and would later score on a grounder from Kyndell Andrews to make it a 2-0 advantage.
The Warriors quickly cut the CU lead in half in the bottom of the first with an RBI double from Mallory Blodgett, which sent Casey Lucas home from first. Hitting in the No. 2 spot, Lucas reached safely on a one-out single through the right side.
Concordia tacked on a third run in the second with an RBI single from Mary Lugar. Cassidy Horner started the attack with a single to left. Taking over on the base paths, Caitlyn Frasier swiped second base and moved to third on a dropped third strike to Robin Gawlista before Lugar sent the run home.
Still down 3-1 in the fifth, William Jessup loaded the bases with a CU error and back-to-back singles by Samantha Futtrell and Lucas. Without an out on the board, Blodgett snuck a single to third base to score Rebecca McIntosh from third.
Facing a situation with the go-ahead in scoring position, CU starter Ashley Suter forced a pop up to Lugar at second base for the initial out. More action in the infield led to the second out as Santos scooped a grounder down the third-base line and fired home for the force out. Suter would go on to preserve the lead with another pop up to second base.
The Warriors had another chance to square the game in the sixth with a runner at third and two outs. After Breihanna Castilleja opened the frame with a bunt single, the second baseman used heady running on the basepaths as she took two bases on a sacrifice bunt from McIntosh. Castilleja made the turn around second and alertly dashed to the corner base when Santos lost her footing crashing on the bunt.
Now with two outs, the Cavaliers eked out of the inning with a fly out to deep center. Out of trouble, Suter sent the Warriors down in order in the seventh to preserve the win and finish the weekend 3-0.
Concordia outhit the Warriors 10 to 7 while both teams committed two errors.