For the Concordia softball team, the 2018 season has been special.  For the previous two seasons, the Eagles have been a solid team.  In both 2016 and 2017, the Eagles finished with 36+ wins in each season and finished in 4^th place in the PacWest Conference.  2018 has been different.  The Eagles aren't just solid, they're a juggernaut. 

Entering Saturday's doubleheader against a strong Biola team, the Eagles sported a 43-12 overall record and were 25-6 in conference play and riding a 12 game winning streak.  Though most of the conference still has one more week of games, this was Concordia's last conference matchup.  The Eagles entered the weekend tied with Academy of Art in the loss column and one game ahead of Cal Baptist.  By beating Biola twice on Saturday, CUI would guarantee themselves at least a share of the conference crown, while Academy of Art still has six games to play next week.  With a loss in either game, Cal Baptist would be back in contention.

GAME ONE: In the critical game one matchup, with Callie Nunes on the mound for the Eagles, the 1^st inning result was what few must have expected.  Concordia fell behind.  Just two batters into the game, Jay Perez took Nunes deep, hitting a home run over the right field wall to give BU a 1-0 lead. 

Nunes settled down and the home run was just one play in a game that was just getting started.  She retired the next two hitters to get out of the 1^st inning and then continued sending BU back to the dugout over the next six innings.  Through seven innings, she gave up just two hits and one walk. 

The Eagles were quiet themselves on offense, however.  Through six, CUI was held scoreless and only collected three hits.  BU pitcher Terri Van Dagens pitched a brilliant game and entering the 7^th inning leading 1-0.

With just two outs remaining for the Eagles, Senior Kailey Palazzolo came through in the clutch, smashing a solo home run to left field to tie the game.  Both Nunes and Van Dagens continued for each team in extras.  CUI was able to get a runner on in the 8^th, but Sarah Kretschmar was left stranded.  Nunes shut down BU in the bottom half of the inning.  The game continued.

In the bottom of the 9^th inning, Amy Eilefson doubled to left center to get the rally started.  Haylee Kloostern pinch ran for her.  Two batters later, Palazzolo collected another big hit, driving Kloostern in on a double down the left field line. 

With the Eagles up 2-1, Nunes took to the mound one more time.  For the entirety of Nunes' incredible freshman season, she has met every challenge that Coach Crystal Rosenthal has thrown her way.  It was no different against BU.  After giving up a home run in the 1^st inning, she bounced back and dominated the rest of the way.  In the 9^th inning, she shut down BU in order and moved the Eagles one game closer to the conference crown.

Eagle Eye: Nunes pitched nine innings, giving up just three hits, one walk and one run.  She pitched up seven strikeouts and earned her 24^th win of the year.  Palazzolo went two-for-three at the plate, knocking in both runs for the Eagles.

GAME TWO: While game one was a nine inning thriller, game two was a statement.  CUI jumped out to an early lead, added runs late, shut down the BU offense and cruised to their 14^th consecutive win.

In the top of the 1^st inning, the Eagles got on the board on an unearned run scored by Ryann Ferguson.  Grayson Harvey took to the mound in the bottom half of the inning and went to work.  In her final regular season outing in an Eagle uniform, Harvey did what she has done so many times before.  She won. 

The Eagles added a run in the top of the 4^th to extend the lead to two.  After a Kretschmar walk and Ferguson single, Brooke Jackson doubled to right center to bring home the lead runner. 

In the top of the 5^th inning, the Eagles broke the game wide open.  Palazzolo led off with a walk.  Sydni Dix was hit by a pitch.  Kretschmar then walked to load the bases.  Ferguson brought in one and moved every runner up a station with a hit to right and then Jackson did the same with a hit to center.  Eilefson then brought in two more on a hit to center and Jackson later came around to score on a wild pitch.  When the inning came to an end, CUI had put up a five spot to extend their lead to 7-0.

Meanwhile, Harvey was cruising.  With a shutout still intact, she took the mound in the 7^th just three outs away from earning another win, the biggest of her career.  After retiring the first two, Andi Hormel reached on a double for BU, but Harvey buckled down to retire the 21^st out of the day on a comebacker. 

With the win, the Eagles clinched at least a share of the PacWest title.  It is their first PacWest championship since joining the conference in 2016.  The Eagles have won 14 consecutive games and 24 of their last 25.  They will look to continue their success in the postseason.

Eagle Eye: Harvey pitched seven shutout innings, striking out eight.  Ferguson finished four-for-four with two runs scored and an RBI.  Jackson finished two-for-three with a run and two RBI's.

What's Next: The Eagles will continue play in the Division II Regionals.  Site, date, and time TBD.