Softball seasons ends in NACC Title game

MILWAUKEE – Coming into the season not many knew what to expect from a young Concordia University Wisconsin Softball Team. The Falcons returned just five players from last year's team, but brought in several talented newcomers. What they ended up doing this season was impressive to say the least, as the Falcons season ended Saturday in the NACC Championship.

CUW began the day with a 7-1 win against Benedictine before falling in the NACC final against Aurora, 11-2. Aurora earned the league's automatic bid after going undefeated in both NACC regular season and tournament play in 2015.

In the win over Benedictine, the Falcons jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two-and-a-half innings of play. Freshman Jamie Reiser (Ingleside, Ill.) played a big role in that as she finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI, including an RBI double in the first and a two-run home run in the third inning.

In between Reiser's big hits was a three-run second inning which saw RBI doubles from freshmen Deidra Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.) and Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.). Freshman Sadie Strasser (Gladstone, Mich.) capped off the three-run second with an RBI single, scoring sophomore Nicole Bublitz (Brown Deer, Wis.).

The offense was more than enough for starting pitcher Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) as the junior turned in her second great performance in as many days. Perkins gave up just five hits and one run in a complete game win, her 16th victory of the season. She struck out one and walked one.

Sharon drove in two runs in the victory, while freshman Andrea Thiry (Green Bay, Wis.) and Weinberger joined Reiser with a pair of hits.

The championship contest was all Aurora as the Spartans scored in each of their four at bats for the 11-2 win. CUW was up 1-0 after the top of the first but Aurora answered with a three-run first and added a run in the second to make the score 4-1. The Falcons would plate one in the third, but Aurora scored four in the third, and three in the fourth for the 11-2 victory.

Bublitz had a pair of hits in the championship tilt as the Falcons finished with just six in the contest. Sharon homered to leadoff the game, while freshman Haley Spoerl (Salem, Wis.) added an RBI in the setback.

Aurora tallied 11 hits in the second game and was also helped by three Falcons errors. Mandey Shrader led the Spartans attack with two hits, a home run, an RBI and run scored.

The Falcons season ends with a 28-15 overall record. CUW finished the NACC regular season in third place with a 16-6 league mark.