Softball stays alive in NACC Tournament with pair of Friday wins

MILWAUKEE – The Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team kept its 2015 season alive Friday with a pair of wins in the NACC Tournament. The Falcons began the day by eliminating Dominican University, 5-1, before sending home Concordia Chicago with a 3-2 victory.

CUW will now take on No. 2 Benedictine University tomorrow at 9 a.m. in another elimination game. The winner of the Falcons-Eagles contest will advance to the championship against top-seeded Aurora University. CUW or Benedictine would have to defeat Aurora twice to capture the NACC Tournament title. This will be the third straight season CUW, Benedictine and Aurora are the final three teams in the tournament and the fourth time over the past five years.

A four-run fourth inning helped lift the Falcons to a win over Dominican to start the day. In that frame, sophomore catcher Carly Sobrilsky (Brookfield, Wis.) hit her second home run of the NACC Tournament and 10th of the season, a three-run shot to give the Falcons a 3-1 advantage.

A Dominican error helped the Falcons extend their lead to 4-1, while freshman Jamie Reiser (Ingleside, Ill.) gave CUW a 5-1 lead in the fifth with an RBI double, plating freshman Kaitlin Radue (Valders, Wis.).

Junior Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) was impressive in the circle for the Falcons against the Stars as she gave up just one run in a complete-game effort. Perkins scattered eight hits, while striking out one for her 15th win of the season.

The Falcons again fell behind 1-0 in the game against Concordia Chicago as the Cougars scored in the top of the first inning. CUW would respond in the bottom of the second as freshman Andrea Thiry (Green Bay, Wis.) scored on a CUC error.

The Falcons would take the lead in the fourth when sophomore Nicole Bublitz (Brown Deer, Wis.) delivered a two-RBI single, scoring Thiry and freshman Lauren Sulikowski (Orland Park, Ill.). Bublitz's clutch hit put CUW on top 3-1.

The 3-1 lead would hold despite CUC hitting a solo home run (Adrianna Cura) in the top of the seventh. Freshman Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) would finish the game off though as it was her turn to deliver a complete-game effort for the Falcons. Brekke also did not issue a walk, while striking out two and surrendering just one earned run. She gave up seven hits in her eighth win of the season.

Live coverage links for tomorrow's games will be available at CUWFalcons.com.