Despite continued hot hitting from junior Julia Tyree, the Concordia University softball team fell twice at the hands of Nebraska Wesleyan in April 15’s home doubleheader at Plum Creek Park. The Prairie Wolves, winners of eight of their last nine GPAC games, took decisions by scores of 5-4 and 11-2 in an eight-run rule shortened affair.
Head Coach Todd LaVelle’s squad, which entered the night on a three-game win streak, slipped to 19-16 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
The Bulldogs nearly came back from a 5-2 deficit entering the seventh inning of game one. Tyree hit a two-run homer (her sixth of the season) with her team down to its final out against starter Marisa Garver. After hitting Michaela Woodward, Garver then retired Molly Madsen with a grounder to second to end the game.
Designated player Maddie Ethen powered the Nebraska Wesleyan (17-15, 10-4 GPAC) game two win with a pair of two-run homers. Ethen and company tagged Woodward for eight hits over 3 1/3 innings in the nightcap. Woodward was pulled for freshman Jordana Goncalves, who walked six hitters and allowed four runs in 1 2/3 innings of work.
Center fielder Regan Doiel emerged as a bright spot in the lopsided game two loss. She went 2-for-2 and drove in both Bulldog runs. Freshman Autumn Owens was the only other player to record a hit in the second contest with Garver again in the circle.
Tyree’s 0-for-1 (two walks) performance in game two put a halt to a 10-game hitting streak. Over the past 14 games, the native of Benicia, California, is 20-for-35 (.571) with five doubles, a triple, four home runs, 12 runs and 15 RBIs. The stretch of red-hot hitting has bumped her season average to a team high .453.
CU sweeps Central Christian
Returning to action for the first time in a week, Concordia got a five-inning no-hitter from freshman Jordana Goncalves as part of a doubleheader sweep of visiting Central Christian College April 14. CU won by scores of 6-3 and 12-0 over the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference foe.
“The first game we did not play well and the girls and the coaching staff knew it. It was nice to regroup the second game,” LaVelle said. “We saw Jordana pitched well. She had a no-hitter and really gave us five quality innings. That was impressive, and that’s kind of what we expected out of her. Hopefully she can ride that momentum through the end of the year.”
Goncalves, a native of Mission, British Columbia, had plenty of run support to work with. Concordia pounded out 12 game two hits and put up three runs in the first, four in the second and five in the third. Tyree went a combined 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs in powering the offensive attack.
But the most promising performance came via Goncalves. With Concordia still trying to develop depth behind Woodward, Goncalves held the Tigers without a hit. She walked three and struck out four in showing a glimpse of what she’s capable of.
“I felt confident and more relaxed tonight,” Goncalves said. “I knew my defense was behind me and they did a really good job backing me up.
“We don’t want it to be Woodward doing it all by herself. That was good.”
Four different Bulldogs backed Goncalves with two hits apiece in game two: Regan Doiel (2-for-3), Diana Mendoza (2-for-2, three RBIs), MaKenna Tracy (2-for-3, three RBIs) and Becca Walker (2-for-3, two RBIs).
Tyree worked five innings in game one to move her record to 5-5. She allowed two runs (both earned) on six hits and one walk. Justine Hansen recorded one out in her first varsity pitching appearance. She was followed by Woodward, who collected her third save while notching strikeouts for four of her five outs.
