Softball opens NACC play with sweep of Inferno

MILWAUKEE – The Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team used a combination of timely hitting and quality pitching to open up the NACC portion of its schedule with a doubleheader sweep over Alverno College Saturday. The Falcons won the opener 5-1 before taking the second game 8-1.

Sophomore Carly Sobrilsky (Brookfield, Wis.) homered in each game for the Falcons as they hit four roundtrippers during the day. Junior Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) pitched a complete game in game one, while freshman Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) earned the win in relief in game two.

In game one Sobrilsky finished with three RBI and two hits to help pace the Falcons attack. Freshman Sadie Strasser (Gladstone, Mich.) had three hits, as did sophomore Alexis Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.). Adding two hits was a pair of freshmen, Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.) and Jamie Reiser (Ingleside, Ill.).

Reiser's two hits were both doubles as CUW finished the game with four extra-base hits. Reiser doubled in Strasser in the first, while solo home runs from freshman Haley Spoerl (Salem, Wis.) and Sobrilsky in the fifth and sixth, made the score 3-0 in favor of CUW. Sobrilsky would add a two-run single in the seventh before Alverno scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the final inning.

Perkins allowed just four hits while striking out four in the opener, moving her record to 4-3 on the season. She walked two batters while running her career record to 3-0 against the Inferno.

In game two the Falcons trailed 1-0 before scoring eight runs between the fourth and sixth innings. CUW struck for two in the fourth on a 2-run blast from Sobrilsky to grab a 2-1 lead. Spoerl then singled in Sharon in the fifth to make the score 3-1 before Reiser homered to left, making the scoreboard read 5-1 in favor of the Falcons.

CUW (9-7, 2-0 NACC) would add three more runs in the top of the sixth, two of those coming on a two-RBI double from Strasser.

Sharon started the game in the circle for the Falcons and pitched three quality innings, allowing just one run, while scattering four hits. Brekke earned the win after throwing the fourth and fifth innings as she and Perkins, who pitched the final two frames, did not allow a baserunner to reach over the final four innings.

Sharon went a perfect 3-for-3 from the leadoff spot in game two, scoring two runs and driving in one. Reiser finished with two hits, a double and a home run for the Falcons offensive attack.

CUW will be back in action tomorrow in its home opener, a NACC doubleheader against MSOE. The Falcons and Raiders are scheduled for a 12 p.m. start at the CUW Softball Field.