Softball secures doubleheader sweep over MSOE in home-opener

MEQUON, Wis. – After 16 games away from home to begin the 2015 season, the Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team finally played its home opener in a NACC doubleheader against MSOE Monday. The youthful Falcons put on a show for home fans, sweeping the Raiders with 6-3 and 11-1 wins.

CUW got timely hitting and strong pitching and defense Monday, which included most of game two being played in the rain. Freshman Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) didn't seem to mind the rainy weather as she struck out eight Raiders in five innings of work in the nightcap. Brekke scattered five hits and allowed just one run in her home debut.

Brekke's performance followed an impressive outing from junior Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.), who tossed a complete game of her own in the opener. Perkins surrendered three runs, just two of those earned, while allowing five hits. She struck out four and walked just one to move her record to 5-3 on the season.

The Falcons trailed 2-0 after the top of the second in the opener, but scored once in the second and twice in the third to take a 3-2 lead. The Falcons would go up 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.) doubled in sophomore Nicole Bublitz (Brown Deer, Wis.).

MSOE (6-10, 1-3 NACC) would cut the CUW lead to 4-3 in the top of the sixth on a squeeze bunt from Beth Young. CUW would answer with two runs in the bottom half of the inning as Bublitz scored on a wild pitch and Sharon would later score on an RBI single from freshman Sadie Strasser (Gladstone, Mich.).

Game two was all CUW as Sharon led the way with a 2-for-2, three runs and three-RBI performance. CUW took advantage of four first-inning walks to score eight runs. The first inning also saw two-RBI singles from Bublitz and Sharon, while sophomore Alexis Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.) and Strasser each singled in a run in the eight-run first.

Freshman Deidra Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.), who had two hits in the first game, doubled in a run for the Falcons in the second inning of game two. Freshman Haley Spoerl (Salem, Wis.) added a double in game two, as did Holsten, who finished with two hits and two runs scored. Weinberger drove in two runs, while Bublitz was a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI in the second contest. Sharon and Strasser added two hits from the 1-2 spots in the batting order.

CUW jumped on MSOE starter Callie Wightman in the second game, also taking advantage of four walks from the MSOE pitcher. Wightman lasted just 0.1 innings, allowing just two hits but also surrendering four walks and six earned runs.

CUW (11-7, 4-0 NACC) will be back in action Thursday against Finlandia in a home non-conference doubleheader. First pitch from the CUW Softball Field is set for 3 p.m.