Concordia Softball sealed the four game sweep over Academy of Art Sunday with two wins. The Eagles have won eight straight and are 12-4 in the PacWest with a 24-9-2 overall record.
Game 1: Concordia – 3 AAU – 0
After loading the bases in the top of the first, Grayson Harvey handled the pressure with three consecutive outs to avoid the Urban Knight scoring threat. She forced two pop ups and sat down the third out swinging.
Leadoff batter Ryann Ferguson set the Eagles up to get on the board with a double to right field. She made her way to third when Academy of Art committed an error on McKinsey Thorpe's hit. Hanna Miller and Amy Eilefson were each walked before a run was brought in from an illegal pitch. Amanda Gjertsen got an RBI single to left field for the 2-0 lead.
In the second, Nicole Chavez bombed a ball over left center for the third Eagle run.
Harvey's command from the mound combined with a strong defense held the Urban Knights scoreless the remainder of the game.
Harvey collected her 10th win on seven innings, five hits and five strikeouts. Ferguson and Sarah Kretschmar each had two hits.
Game 2: Concordia – 9 AAU – 0
Concordia scored nine runs in the second game of the day, with eight RBIs from six different Eagles. The team was hot at the plate, accumulating 13 hits, three walks and only one Eagle strikeout.
Ferguson found her way on base again with a single up the middle. Thorpe laid down a bunt and not only reached safely, but moved Ferguson to third. Miller singled to left to score Ferguson and place Thorpe on second. Gjertsen generated another RBI with a left field single. Alyssa Turner walked her way to first and Chavez hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI and 3-0 score.
A two out rally in the fourth gave the Eagles enough runs to end the game on the run rule. Eilefson singled to the short stop and Gjertsen followed with a single to right field. Turner kept the momentum rolling with a single through the left side for an RBI. An error from Chavez's hit resulted in the fifth Eagle run of the game. Mackenzie Graham made it seven with a single up the middle. Kretschmar stepped up next, and crushed a ball to deep left field for the 9-0 finish.
In the Urban Knights' final at bats, Kailey Palazzolo pitched to three batters for three outs. BethAnn McCann received the win. She gave up just two hits and possesses a 9-2 record.
Concordia aims to continue its PacWest winning on Wednesday, March 29th against the APU Cougars. The doubleheader starts at 4 p.m.Â
