Perkins gem helps Softball salvage split with Dominican

FOREST PARK, Ill. – Freshman pitcher Melissa Perkins pitched a complete game two-hitter as she helped the Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team salvage a split with Dominican University Saturday in a Northern Athletics Conference doubleheader. CUW dropped the opener 1-0 but responded with a 4-1 win in game two behind Perkins' efforts.

Each game featured a masterful pitching performance as it was Perkins in game two for the Falcons and Dominican's Emily Mahoney in the opener. CUW junior Jamie Schuh (Freedom, Wis.) was also impressive for her team in the opener, but Mahoney had enough to edge her counterpart in the 1-0 game.

In the game two victory CUW jumped on the board with a run in the first inning, a very encouraging sign after being shut out of the opener. Junior Stephanie Kramer (Fond du Lac, Wis.) scored the run to give the Falcons a 1-0 advantage.

CUW would push its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth as senior Cara Landherr (Waukesha, Wis.) scored on a wild pitch and junior Alyssa Robison (Roselle, Ill.) drove in sophomore Emilie Morrow (Colby, Wis.). The Falcons would add one more in the sixth inning as they held a 4-0 advantage.

Four runs were plenty for Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) as she held a shutout until the seventh inning. She finished the game allowing two hits and striking out eight compared to two walks. With the win Perkins improved to 13-6 on the season.

Kramer and Landherr paced the Falcons offense in the second game as both players tallied a pair of hits from the No. 3 and No. 4 positions in the batting order. Kramer also led the team with two runs scored.

The opening game was all about pitching as Mahoney and Schuh were dueling back and forth. The only run of the game came in the third inning when Armani Proctor belted a solo home run, which would be all the offense Mahoney needed.

Mahoney threw the complete game and struck out 11 for her 18th win of the season. Schuh took the loss despite striking out seven and allowing just one run in six masterful innings. Procter finished game two with two hits, including the big home run.

CUW (24-14, 16-6) gained three hits in the opener as sophomore Jessica Liszka (Lindenhurst, Ill.), Kramer, and junior Mariah Giesseman (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) all tallied base hits. Liszka's hit was a double.

The Falcons will conclude their regular season schedule tomorrow when they host Wisconsin Lutheran College in a NAC twinbill. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. at the CUW Softball Field. Tomorrow's games won't be the last of the year for the Falcons, however, as they have clinched a spot in the NAC Tournament slated to begin Thursday.