Friday, May 3, 2019
PORTLAND, Ore. – A big day at the plate for outfielder Hannah Self and a complete-game shutout from Sally Bowles led host Concordia to a 7-0 victory over Central Washington in game three of the GNAC Softball Championships at Porter Park.
Bowles went the distance while allowing just four hits in her program's second victory at the GNAC Championships, improving her record to 12-9 on the season.
She got plenty of her help from her offense as a trio of Cavaliers notched multi-RBI performances. Self led the way on Friday, going 3 for 4 at the dish with two RBI and a run.
Self's first RBI gave her team its first run of the game, part of a four-run explosion in the top of the first frame that set the tone for the remainder of the morning. A productive groundout off the bat of sophomore Marisa Stockton pushed the lead to 2-0, and the inning was capped on a two-RBI double to left field via junior Chelsea Sligh.
Sophomore Lexie Strasser (15-10) took the loss for the Wildcats, ultimately exiting the contest with one strikeout in three innings of work. Right-hander Taylor Williams came on in relief and was able to keep her team in the game, going a strong four innings while allowing just one run on two hits.
Three Wildcats ended the contest with hits on their final stat line as leadoff batter Savannah Egbert, two-hole hitter Katie Kastning and senior Kayla Smith all finished the day 1 for 3 offensively.
After CU added a pair of insurance runs in the third and a single tally in the fourth, both defenses were able to dominate the rest of the way. Neither team crossed the plate for the rest of the day, and a late CWU rally was eventually snuffed out after Smith doubled to start the bottom of the seventh.
With the win, Concordia will face the winner of Friday's third game between Central Washington and either Western Oregon or Northwest Nazarene in Saturday's title tilt. Next up for the Wildcats is a date with the winner of that elimination game between the Wolves and Nighthawks, coming on Friday at 3:00 p.m.