Concordia Softball run ends with a third-place finish at the NAIA World Series
SIOUX FALLS, Iowa—Falling behind by five runs, No. 9-seeded Concordia (Ore) saw its season come to an end with the winning run at the bat in a 5-3 loss to No. 3-seeded Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) on Wednesday.
In addition to topping the school record by 11 wins this season, Concordia (46-19) saw its season end with its all-time best finish in four total trips to the NAIA Softball National Championships.
Advancing through the elimination bracket, Lindsey Wilson (52-7) will continue on to play Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) on Thursday in a battle of the final two teams of the tournament.
In its second elimination game of the day, Lindsey Wilson struck first with a 2-run blast in the second inning by Sydney Fourman, the team's No. 8 hitter. The Blue Raiders added a single run in the third inning on a Bailey Mize single.
Lindsey Wilson extended its lead with three hits in the third inning, capped by an Amanda Trampe double to left to plate a pair of runs.
After producing single base runners in the first and third innings, the Cavaliers finally broke through in the fourth on a Mariah Jimenez single to left which scored Kate Santos on the hit and Taylor Copher on a LWC error.
CU reliever Tori Muir closed out the final three frames, allowing two hits and a walk in a scoreless outing to allow the Cavs to mount a late comeback.
Down three in the seventh, Sam Owirka initiated a rally by taking first on a hit by pitch and was followed by a Meghan Luebbert single to place the tying run at the plate. A fielder's choice put LWC within an out of the win where Kelsie Merritt struck for a single to center to score a run.
From there, LWC starter Jordan Hood, who also pitched a complete game in an 8-1 win against Oregon Tech earlier in the day, forced an infield popup to collect her second win of the day.
LWC outhit Concordia 10 to 7 in the game.