AZUSA, Calif.- The nationally-ranked No. 10 Concordia University Irvine softball team hit the road to face off against the Azusa Pacific Cougars on Friday for the first time of the 2021 season. The Eagles entered the matchup 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the PacWest.
In the first game of Friday's doubleheader, CUI was resilient, productive at the plate, and scored runners at crucial times.
Callie Nunes was efficient on the mound, keeping the Cougars off balance at the plate.
CUI continued to have strategic offense in the second game, jumping on the Cougars from the get-go. They chipped away at APU throughout the night continuously putting pressure on the APU defense.
Erika Morris pitched a great game limiting APU's offense.
Game One: CUI 3, APU 1
The Eagles came in hot with an exciting first inning where they loaded the bases.
McKinsey Thorpe singled to the left side and was picked up by teammate
Sydney Sprinkle who then singled to right-center.
Missy Nemeth came up next and worked a walk, then
Sydni Dix hit a debatable line drive to the second baseman that resulted in a questionable double play.
All-American Nunes got the start for CUI in the pitching circle. Prior to this game the senior from Modesto, Calif. had 30 strikeouts on the season and a record of 2-2 in the circle.
In the second inning, the Green and Gold responded to the controversial play with their bats.
Megan Massa had a clutch single that scored
Lauren Fairchild and advanced
Rylie Rohr. Prior to Massa's at bat Fairchild singled and Rohr worked a walk.
Concordia had a productive fourth inning, which led them to extend their lead over Azusa to 2-0.
Lauren Lopez began the inning with a single up the middle. Then Fairchild moved her over to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Lopez was then scored by
Jocelyn Pino who singled to left field.
Nunes worked hard in the circle producing outs for her teammates. She produced 13 flyouts, four groundouts, and four strikeouts. Nunes improves her record 3-2 with 34 strikeouts in the season. She had phenomenal composure on the mound and was able to come up with outs in crucial moments. Nunes was unfazed when the Cougars made a comeback in the sixth, closing the gap to one run. She answered back to both the single and double with a strikeout, holding the Cougars to just the one run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Nunes' teammates answered back with an additional insurance run. Thorpe worked her way on base and ended up scoring off of a passed ball.
The Eagles won the first game 3-1, improving their overall record to 7-3, and their conference record to 3-2.
Game Two: CUI 6, APU 2
In the second game, the Eagles started the first inning strong, applying pressure on the Cougars early. Massa began the inning with a stand-up triple down the right field line. Next, came up Thorpe who scored Massa with a groundout to the second baseman.
CUI continued to chip away at APU in the third inning. Rohr started the inning by working a walk and Massa came up with a single, which moved Rohr to scoring position. Rohr was caught stealing at third, but Massa was safely in scoring position. Thorpe moved Massa over again, leaving Massa at third with two outs. Sprinkle came up next and stroked a single to center field which scored Massa. The damage was done and the Eagles were up 2-0.
Morris was the starting pitcher for the Green and Gold in game two. Morris has pitched in two other games and has one win under her belt for the season.
The Cougars managed to scratch together one run in the bottom of the third after benefitting from a couple errors. But the Eagles were able to limit any further damage.
CUI was relentless in the batter's box, continuously challenging APU's defense. CUI's offense broke through in the sixth, scoring some insurance runs for Morris. Nemeth started the inning by speeding down first base with an infield single. She was then replaced by freshman
Megan Johnson who pinch ran for her. Johnson was moved into scoring position by Dix who grounded out to the pitcher. Next came a pair of RBI singles, Lopez scored Johnson off of a single to left field and then Fairchild singled down right field line scoring Lopez. The Eagles ended the inning up 4-1.
Azusa responded to the Eagles exciting inning with two doubles, which resulted in one earned run. Concordia's defense was able to get out of the inning with minimal damage, holding the opposing team to the one run, bringing the score to CUI up 4-2.
Concordia did not let up and scored two more runs in the top of the seventh giving them a nice cushion of 6-2. Nemeth crushed a double out to left-center scoring Massa and Thorpe. Massa got on with a single to left and Thorpe reached the bag by a fielder's choice.
Morris stayed strong in the circle continuing to produce outs for her team. She ended the game with 15 groundouts, two flyouts, only two walks, and one strikeout. She limited APU's offense to eight hits and two doubles, only giving up one earned run.
The CUI softball team will play APU again tomorrow, Saturday, March 20 in a doubleheader. The doubleheader is scheduled for 12 and 2 p.m. at Eagles Field.
For the softball team's full schedule
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