Softball ends regular season with a sweep of Concordia Chicago

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Softball team closed the 2016 regular season in style with a sweep over Concordia University Chicago Saturday at home. The Falcons will now turn their attention to the NACC Tournament, which begins next Thursday.

THE BASICS
- Final Scores: Concordia Wisconsin 8, Concordia Chicago 3 (Game 1); Concordia Wisconsin 3, Concordia Chicago 2 (Game 2)
- Location: CUW Softball Field – Mequon, Wis.
- Records: Concordia Wisconsin 25-15, 15-7 NACC; Concordia Chicago 24-13, 12-10 NACC

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Falcons used a six-run fourth inning, along with a complete game effort from senior Melissa Perkins (Park Forest, Ill.) to down the Cougars. Sophomore Deidra Weinberger (Mayville, Wis.) sparked the offense with two hits, including a 3-run home run in the six-run fourth.

- Weinberger finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and three RBI. In the bottom of the first, with the Falcons trailing 1-0, she roped an RBI double and scored on the play thanks to a throwing error from Concordia Chicago, giving the Falcons a 2-1 lead.

- The Cougars would take back the lead with runs in the third and fourth innings, but the Falcons responded with the six-run fourth. Four of the CUW runs were unearned, as they took advantage of the one Concordia Chicago error in the frame. Freshmen Sara Rosenow (Kimberly, Wis.), Becky Bonnin (Kenosha, Wis.) and Delaney O'Keefe (Muskego, Wis.) all drove in runs, while Weinberger capped off the frame with the three-run blast.

- Perkins picked up her 15th win of the season with a complete game effort. She scattered 10 hits, while giving up three runs, two earned. The senior struck out one and issued one free pass.

- CUW was outhit 10-5 in the opener, but the Falcons got the clutch hits and took advantage of two Concordia Chicago errors to pick up the win.

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Facing a 2-0 deficit, CUW scored three times in the bottom of the fifth and held on for a 3-2 win. The Falcons took advantage of two throwing errors in the fifth by Concordia Chicago. Rosenow started the scoring with an RBI single and then helped create the second run as well. With runners at the corners and two outs, CUW put on a play where Rosenow was to get caught in a rundown between first and second. Instead, the Cougars threw the ball into center field, allowing junior Lexi Holsten (Oshkosh, Wis.) to score.

- Rosenow would again use her speed with the game tied. She attempted to steal third and succeeded, with the throw from Concordia Chicago sailing into left field, allowing Rosenow to score the eventual winning run.

- The rest of the game was about the Falcons pitching. Sophomore Emily Brekke (Waterford, Wis.) got the win with five strong innings, allowing two runs, one earned. She struck out three in her ninth win of the year.

- Perkins picked up the save by throwing two scoreless frames. She faced a difficult spot in the seventh, with the bases full of Cougars and just one out but was able to record two groundouts for the 3-2 win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Falcons could still get the No. 2 seed and a bye in the NACC Tournament, but that will depend on Benedictine and Dominican. Those two were scheduled to play a doubleheader today, but the games were delayed in the fourth inning of game one, with Benedictine holding a 4-1 lead. CUW needs a Benedictine sweep to force a three-way tie between the three schools.

UP NEXT
- Stay tuned to CUWFalcons.com this week for updates and information on the NACC Softball Tournament, slated to begin Thursday morning at Alverno College in Milwaukee.