ST. PAUL – The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team held a lead in both games, but Concordia-St. Paul rallied in each to beat the Dragons, 9-4 and 6-5, in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in St. Paul, Minn.
In the opener, freshman designated hitter
Piper McKibbin was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. Freshman shortstop
Annika Norman was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore first baseman
Evey Evans was 2-for-4 with a run scored while freshman right fielder
Eliyah McCarthy was 2-for-3. Sophomore catcher
Jessie Undem, freshman second baseman
Hannah Losee and freshman third baseman
Avery Steffen had hits for MSUM.
Freshman
Emma Abbott took the loss for MSUM, giving up four runs, two earned, in 2.1 innings. Sophomore
Reece Dahl gave up five earned runs in 3.2 innings.
MSUM led 1-0 after an RBI single from Norman in the first. McKibbin's solo homer in the second put MSUM up 2-1, and she added an RBI single in the third to make it 3-1.
CSP scored the next four runs to build a 5-3 lead, but McKibbin's RBI single in the fifth brought MSUM within 5-4. CSP scored four runs in the fifth to pull away.
In Game 2, MSUM led 5-3 at one point before CSP rallied with three unanswered runs, including a walkoff home run, to secure the 6-5 victory.
Norman capped off a great day at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort, while Steffen was 1-for-2 with a homer and RBI. Losee, McCarthy and McKibbin had hits while junior left fielder
Kiley Washnieski had an RBI.
Senior
Anna Lang pitched the first two innings and gave up two earned runs. Sophomore
Evey Evans took the loss, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing four earned runs.
After trailing 2-0, MSUM battled back with three runs. Losee hit an RBI double in the third to get the Dragons on the board, while Washnieski was walked to force in a run. McCarthy later scored on a wild pitch.
In the fifth, Steffen broke a 3-3 tie with a solo homer to left, and McCarthy added an RBI groundout to make it 5-3. CSP scored the final three runs, however to take the win.
The Dragons will play at doubleheader at Minnesota State Mankato beginning at 11 a.m on Sunday.
