Softball takes opener, drops game two at Concordia Chicago

RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Concordia University Wisconsin and Concordia University Chicago Softball teams entered Sunday's NACC doubleheader in a tie for second place in the league standings. The Falcons and Cougars left Sunday's twinbill in the same position as the two split, with CUW taking game one, 8-5, before Concordia Chicago responded with an 8-3 game two victory.

The opening game saw the Falcons belt four home runs, including two off the bat of sophomore Carly Sobrilsky (Brookfield, Wis.). CUW jumped all over the Cougars starting pitcher, Meghan Johnson, to the tune of five runs in the first two innings en route to the 8-5 victory. The Falcons held an 8-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh before Concordia Chicago scored four times to make the final 8-5.

CUW jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opener with Sobrilsky starting the party with an RBI single, plating freshman Sadie Strasser (Gladstone, Mich.). Freshman Andrea Thiry (Green Bay, Wis.) had a run-scoring walk to make the score 2-0, while sophomore Alexis Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.) gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead with an RBI groundout.

The Falcons would add two runs in the third on back-to-back home runs from freshman Jamie Reiser (Ingleside, Ill.) and Sobrilsky, while Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) added a solo shot of her own in the fourth inning. Perkins also got the win in the circle, throwing 6.1 innings with one strikeout and no walks. Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) came on for the final two outs in the seventh for the Falcons.

Sobrilsky gave the Falcons some insurance in the top of the seventh as she belted her second home run of the game, this time a two-run shot scoring freshman Kaitlin Radue (Valders, Wis.), capping off her monster game one. Sobrilsky finished the opener 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs scored and the two home runs.

Alicia Salata had the big hit for the Cougars in the opener, a grand slam in the seventh, making the score 8-5. Michele Alexander, who had a pair of hits for Concordia Chicago, had the other RBI in the game.

The story of game two was the Falcons shaky defense and a Concordia Chicago five-run sixth inning, which resulted in an 8-3 Cougars victory. The score read 3-1 in favor of Concordia Chicago heading into the bottom of the fifth before the Cougars opened up a seven-run lead after the five runs crossed the plate. The Falcons would add two in the top of the seventh for the 8-3 final.

Strasser had an RBI double to pace the Falcons offense in game two, which was limited to four total hits. Adding RBI for CUW in the nightcap was Deidra Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.) and Holsten.

Freshman Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.) was the pitcher of record for the Falcons as she went five innings and allowed just one earned run. Sharon added one strikeout, while walking one. Courtney Pepper pitched six strong innings for the Cougars, allowing no earned runs and striking out a pair.

The Falcons will be back in action Tuesday when they visit Maranatha Baptist University for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.