Softball sweeps Trinity Christian in non-conference twinbill

PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team proved it could win in multiple ways Monday with a non-conference sweep of Trinity Christian College. The Falcons slugged their way past the Trolls in game one, winning 11-8 before winning a pitcher's duel behind the efforts of sophomore Emily Brekke in game two, for a 2-1 win.

THE BASICS
- Final Scores: Concordia Wisconsin 11, Trinity Christian 8 (Game 1); CUW 2, TCC 1 (Game 2)
- Location: Schaaf Fields – Palos Heights, Ill.
- Records: Concordia Wisconsin 8-8; Trinity Christian 3-13

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Sophomore Christine Sharon (Cornell, Mich.) paced the balanced offensive with a 3-for-3, 4-RBI effort. Sharon, who belted a three-run home run in the second, also scored two runs for the Falcons, who tallied 15 hits as a team. Sharon also roped a pair of doubles for the Falcons.

- CUW built a 9-0 lead after two innings, scoring four in the first and five in the second. Freshman Sara Rosenow, Sharon and sophomores Deidra Weinberger and Andrea Thiry all drove in runs in the first for the Falcons. Freshmen Maddie Zazas and Delaney O'Keefe each drove in runs in the second before Sharon put CUW up 9-0 with her 3-run blast.

- Junior Lexi Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.) also had three hits for CUW in game one, while driving in two and scoring once. She recorded RBI singles in the fifth and seventh innings. Zazas (Mundelein, Ill.) tallied two hits from the leadoff spot in the lineup and was one of four Falcons to score two runs in the game one slugfest. Rosenow (Kimberly, Wis.) also posted a pair of hits and scored twice, while Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.) and Sharon each crossed the plate twice as well.

- TCC clawed its way back in the game with a five-run fifth, making the score 10-6 after five complete. The Trojans would add two in the sixth, but Holsten's RBI single extended the lead to three in the top half of the seventh.

- Senior Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) improved her record to 5-3 after tossing five innings for the Falcons in game one. Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) earned her first save of the year, throwing two shutout frames with four strikeouts.

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Brekke picked up right where she left off, tossing a complete game gem in a 2-1 game two win. She scattered three hits and punched out six in her third win of the 2016 campaign.

- CUW built a 1-0 lead in the first in game two as Sharon continued her impressive day at the dish. She singled in O'Keefe (Muskego, Wis.) in the Falcons first at bat and was one of three Falcons to record two hits in the nightcap.

- The Trolls scored their only run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Falcons quickly answered with the game-winning score in the top half of the sixth. It was Holsten who delivered the big hit, an RBI double, plating Weinberger for the eventual game-winning run.

- Rosenow and Weinberger each joined Sharon with a pair of hits in game two as the Falcons totaled 11 as a team.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons will open up conference play this weekend with a pair of NACC doubleheaders. CUW will open the weekend with a home twinbill against Dominican scheduled for a noon start at the CUW Softball Field. The Falcons will then visit Lakeland for two on Sunday.