Photo by Jordan Vredeveld
Photo by Jordan Vredeveld

Softball opens season with pair of wins at Finlandia Dome Tournament

MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team began its 2017 season with a pair of wins at the Finlandia Dome Tournament. The Falcons opened the day by handing UW-Oshkosh its first loss of the season thanks to a two-run seventh inning. CUW then easily handled Northland, 13-1, in five innings.

THE BASICS
- Final Scores: Concordia Wisconsin 3, UW-Oshkosh 2; Concordia Wisconsin 13, Northland 1 (5 Innings)
- Location: Superior Dome – Marquette, Michigan
- Records: Concordia Wisconsin 2-0; UW-Oshkosh 3-1; Northland 0-4

GAME 1 (Concordia Wisconsin 3, UW-Oshkosh 2)
- It took the Falcons until the top of the sixth inning to get on the board, but one run in the sixth and two in the top of the seventh helped them complete a comeback for the one-run victory. Trailing 1-0 going into the sixth, junior Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.) drove in freshman Nicole Lewis (Manhattan, Ill.) with a ground-rule double.

- UW-Oshkosh would take back the lead in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single but the Falcons responded with two runs in their final at-bat. Sophomore Maddie Zazas (Mundelein, Ill.) tied the game with an RBI single, while junior Deidra Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.) drove in the go-ahead run with a single of her own. Freshman Molly O'Connell (New London, Wis.) and sophomore Sara Rosenow (Kimberly, Wis.) scored runs in the frame.

- The Titans threatened in the bottom of the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one out. Junior Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) got out of the jam with a fly out to center and a groundout to second, finishing off her complete game.

- Brekke allowed just five hits in her complete-game win. She struck out one and walked two. O'Connell paced the Falcons offense with two hits.

GAME 2 (Concordia Wisconsin 13, Northland 1)
- The Falcons offense got rolling in game two as they broke open a 1-1 tie with six runs in both the third and fourth innings. CUW won the game via the eight-run rule after 4 ½ innings of play.

- CUW belted out 15 hits in the nightcap, highlighted by five extra-base hits (three doubles and two triples). Weinberger drove in four runs and roped one of the triples, while O'Connell added two hits and a triple herself.

- Zazas paced the Falcons from the top of the order with a 3-for-4 performance, scoring twice and driving in three. Senior Carly Sobrilsky (Brookfield, Wis.) finished 2-for-2 with a double, while Sharon and junior Jamie Reiser (Ingleside, Ill.) added doubles of their own. Reiser drove in two and senior Lexi Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.) also had a strong game, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Rosenow and junior Allison Peters (Elk Grove, Ill.) each scored two runs.

- O'Connell picked up the win in her first career collegiate start, tossing four innings with a pair of strikeouts. The freshman scattered seven hits before handing the ball over to Lewis for the final three outs.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons will look for similar success tomorrow with two more games at the tournament. CUW will open with UW-Stevens Point at 10 a.m. eastern time, before taking on UW-Superior shortly after. The Pointers are currently 2-2 at the tournament, while UW-Superior has posted a 1-1 record thus far.