Softball rallies for wins over Bethel, FDU-Florham on Wednesday in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team was not going to settle for another split. After five straight splits, two at the Finlandia Dome Tournament and three in Florida, the Falcons wanted a day with two wins rather than a 1-1 record.

CUW (7-5) did just that on Wednesday as they rallied for victories over Bethel and FDU-Florham. The Falcons scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Bethel, 8-7, before erasing an early 8-0 deficit to soar past the Devils, 10-8.

Freshman Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) picked up the win in both games for the Falcons as she had a couple of strong relief performances. Brekke pitched 1.2 innings against Bethel before throwing 4.1 shutout innings in the win over FDU-Florham. She struck out four, while allowing just two hits, against the Devils.

The Falcons offense scored all 10 of their runs against FDUF over their final four at bats, including four each in the fifth and sixth innings. Sophomore Alexis Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.) finished the game with three hits and two RBI, while freshman Allison Peters (Elk Grove, Ill.) scored three runs and added two hits, including a double.

Sophomore Nicole Bublitz (Brown Deer, Wis.) added two RBI and a double in the comeback win over the Devils as CUW totaled 14 hits in the game. A pair of freshmen added a couple hits in Andrea Thiry (Green Bay, Wis.) and Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.).

FDU-Florham's offense was rolling early as it scored four times in each of the first two frames. Rebecca DeCarlo and Wynne McCann each homered in the second inning, McCann's a three-run shot. McCann drove in four runs in the game, while DeCarlo had two RBI and a double.

In the opener CUW saw a 5-1 lead after three innings vanish as Bethel scored once in the fourth and four times in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 advantage. CUW tied the game at 6-6 with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Bethel once again took the lead with a run in the top of the seventh.

The Falcons once again came back, scoring two runs in their final at bats. Freshman Jamie Reiser (Ingleside, Ill.) drove in the first run, while freshman Deidra Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.) recorded the walkoff single, plating freshman Kaitlin Radue (Valders, Wis.).

Six Falcons had two hits in the opening win – Bublitz, Holsten, Weinberger, Sadie Strasser (Gladstone, Mich.), Thiry and Sharon. Reiser and Holsten each drove in a pair of runs, while Sharon and Peters had doubles for the Falcons.

CUW will conclude its Florida trip Thursday with a pair of games. The Falcons will take on UW-River Falls at 1 pm (EST) before battling Worcester St. at 3 pm.