IRVINE, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine softball team earned a chance to play for at least one more day after bouncing back with a clutch win over Chico State on Friday afternoon in the NCAA DII West Regional bracket.
CUI lost its first game of the day to Cal State Dominguez Hills but will get an opportunity to see the Toros again at 12 p.m. on Saturday. Both Azusa Pacific and Chico State were eliminated on Friday.
In the double elimination tournament, the Eagles are now 2-1 and the Toros are 2-0 entering Saturday.
First Game: CSUDH 3, CUI 2
The Eagles fell behind 3-0 when the Toros climbed ahead in the third inning by creating some havoc on the bases. Chenoa Au had three hits and hustled home on a broken play to score one of those runs to put CSUDH in the driver's seat.
A late rally brought CUI within striking distance. Freshman catcher
Kendall Flatt followed up her solid three-hit outing on Thursday against APU by crushing a two-run homer in the final inning.
Lauren Lopez worked a solid at-bat and poked a solid single to extend the game with two outs before Flatt's blast. CSUDH was able to eventually claim that third out and the victory with PacWest Player of the Year
Megan Massa waiting in the on deck circle.
Second Game: CUI 2, Chico State 1
Concordia got on the board in the top of the first inning after
Rylie Rohr drew a walk and came around to score. The run was unearned because it came when
Michalah Robison reached base safely due to a fielding error with two outs shortly after a single by
Missy Nemeth.
PacWest Player of the Year
Megan Massa provided a RBI single in the second inning.
Lauren Lopez led off by working a walk and then advanced to second base on a foul out by
Kendall Flatt. That heads-up play by Lopez paid dividends later as a single by senior
Lauren Fairchild moved her over to third base. Minutes later, Massa hit a scorcher to the hole which the shortstop knocked down but Lopez was able to score on the play. Without her moving from first base to second base on Flatt's foul ball that was caught, that run may have never scored.
That extra run wound up being the difference-maker on the scoreboard as every pitcher in the circle in this game held the majority of the batters they faced in check.
Former Academy of Art pitcher Brooke Larsen showed why she has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the entire West Region with another fantastic outing. She struck out seven and tossed a complete game for Chico State. Meanwhile, the CUI trio of
Katlin Entrup,
Cortney Koelmans and
Erika Morris combined to allow only three hits and one run in this elimination game.
Entrup improved to 17-5 and struck out four in just over five innings of work. Koelmans finished the sixth for Entrup and kept CUI in front as the Wildcats sliced the 2-0 lead in half heading into the final frame.
Morris entered for the seventh and coerced a couple of quick outs before the Wildcats patiently put multiple runners on base with a walk and a single. But Morris was able to coax a ground ball to
Sydney Sprinkle, who hustled to third base for the force play and the final out of the ball game.
Kaia Nisby also supplied a pair of hits to jump start the CUI offense while patrolling left field. Nisby and Chico State's Grace Stover were the only players in this game to collect multiple hits.
CLICK HERE for postgame reaction from Morris, Nisby and Coach Rosenthal
If CUI wins Saturday's rematch at 12 p.m. against CSUDH then an extra game will be played at 2:30 p.m. to determine who will advance to the Super Regional next week. If the Toros win the first game, CSUDH will advance.
CLICK HERE for TOURNAMENT CENTRAL and CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
CLICK HERE for the full CUI SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
