Softball rallies past Alverno twice

Box Score (Game 1): CUW 6, AC 5
Box Score (Game 2): CUW 2, AC 1

Audio (Game 1): Listen to a replay of the game
Audio (Game 2): Listen to a replay of the game

MEQUON, Wis. -- Concordia Univesrity Wisconsin scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 6-5 win over Alverno College in the opener of Saturday's Northern Athletics Conference doubleheader and then came back from a 1-0 deficit to earn a sweep during the second contest, 2-1.

The winning runs in the first game scored without the aid of a base hit, as a walk by senior Holly Zinnecker (Roscoe, Ill.) and a pair of Inferno errors gift-wrapped the dramatic Falcon victory. CUW managed only five hits, two by sophomore Mariah Giesseman (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.), but took advantage of four errors by AC to score a trio of unearned runs.

Falcon senior ace Danielle Burke (Burlington, Wis.) allowed six hits and five walks, but still managed to pick up her ninth win of the season.

In the closing contest, senior Chelsie Strosina's (Burlington, Wis.) base hit tied the game 1-1 in the third frame before junior Abbie Goetsch (Grayslake, Ill.) lined a solo home run in the fourth to give CUW what proved to be the winning run.

Senior Sheri Weidner (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) held the Inferno to six hits and did not walk a batter in a route-going performance that translated into her first win of the season.

Head coach Steve Crook's team improved to 20-12 overall and 15-3 in NAC play with the scintillating sweep. AC dropped to 13-17 overall and 6-10 in conference action.

The high-flying Falcons host Aurora University, currently tied for second with CUW, in a crucial twin bill on Tuesday with the first contest scheduled for 3 p.m.

Current standings below: