IRVINE, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine softball team heads into Friday in the catbird seat after going 2-0 over the course of the first two days at the PacWest Conference Tournament.
CUI dealt with a talented Azusa Pacific squad in the first game of the day on Thursday. The game was knotted 1-1 before a big fifth inning broke the game wide open for the Golden Eagles
First Team All-Conference first baseman
Missy Nemeth smacked a two-run single to center field to plate the go-ahead runs.
Jessica Im and
Shelli Faulk both touched home plate safely to make it 3-1.
The next batter was
Shelby Pfeiler, who
had just homered in Wednesday's win over Biola.
The Second Team All-PacWest catcher delivered again against APU, powering a two-run homer to push the advantage to 5-1 to cap the scoring.
That would be all the run support PacWest Pitcher of the Year
Cortney Koelmans and the defense would need.
Koelmans went the distance and struck out eight while only allowing one run. It came on a solo shot by Bella Fraser
She pitched effectively and looked more comfortable in the circle then in her first appearance on Wednesday.
Koelmans also silenced a two-out rally by the Cougars in the fifth. APU put two runners on base but Koelmans came up huge again and struck out First Team All-PacWest pitcher/hitter Katie Korstrom to end the inning.
"Yesterday, I had a rough start in the circle but Rose (Imbriano) worked with me a lot before the game and got me back into a groove," explained Koelmans, who was also
recently named the Female Golden Eagle Award winner at this past Sunday's Senior Legacy Banquet at Concordia. My ball was spinning a lot today and I think that's what kept me in the game, there were a few times I missed my spots but my defense was right there to back me up on every play."
Mary Baccay also added a RBI single in the early going.
Jocelyn Pino scored from second base and appeared to be out on a good relay throw, but the umpire immediately called her safe due to the obstruction rule.
"It was super exciting to see Mary, Shelby, Missy, and the rest of the offense come up clutch during this game and during this tournament so far," added Koelmans. "They've been working really hard during practice and outside of practice so it is super exciting to see them succeed!"
CUI advances to Friday and needs just one win to claim the PacWest Tournament title for the second straight spring. The other surviving team from Thursday will play Concordia on Friday starting at 12 p.m.
It is a double elimination tournament with the winner earning the automatic bid to the NCAA DI West Regional. If Concordia loses that 12 p.m. games, a second game would then be necessary to decide the tournament champion. That game would start approximately 30 minutes after the first game ends.
"We have shown up ready to play both days," said CUI head coach Crystal Rosenthal. "In the midst of finals, they have done a good job of getting focused and taking care of business. Proud of our offense for showing up big, and Court was big time on the mound today. We will be ready to get after it tomorrow."
CUI ranks No. 3 in the newly released NCAA DII West Regional rankings behind only GNAC leaders Western Washington and Northwest Nazarene. APU ranks No. 9 currently with the top eight making the regional bracket.
CUI projects as a regional participant regardless of what happens on Friday. The top eight teams make the regional tournament, with the three conference winners from the PacWest, GNAC and CCAA, all earn automatic bids with five more teams joining them as at-large selections. That announcement of the regional brackets will come Monday at 7 a.m. PT.
CLICK HERE for the updated CUI softball schedule
CLICK HERE to go to the Tournament Central page
