Thursday, May 2, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – Junior Hannah Self’s two-out, two-run homer in the top of the first proved the difference to back-up a one-hitter by senior pitcher Mckenzie Smith in game one of the GNAC Softball Championships as Concordia prevailed with a 5-0 win over Western Oregon at Porter Park.

Smith threw a one-hitter to give Concordia its first-ever win in the GNAC Softball Championships, improving to 15-8 on the season as she allowed just two walks and struck out two on just 77 pitches.

Smith helped her own cause offensively early when she reached on a one-out single up the middle. Self stepped up two batters later to hit her 13th home run of the season just to the right of straight-away center field.

The homer by Self, along with junior Karley Yoshioka’s first home run of the season in the top of the sixth, accounted for the only runs of the game that was a tremendous duel between Smith and Western Oregon senior ace Haley Fabian. The two pitchers combined to allow just six hits in the contest.

The five runs on six hits in the loss for Fabian (13-4) took the shine off a solid effort for the senior, who at point retired 11 batters in order. She struck out six, three of those strikeouts came looking.

After giving up a leadoff walk in the top of the second, Fabian retired 11 batters in order before giving up a leadoff single to Concordia senior Tori O’Neill in the sixth. Junior Macy Besuyen followed with a single to left center that set the table for Yoshioka, who stroked her three-run shot to left field to extend the Cavaliers’ lead to 5-0.

Senior Cheyanne Rimer provided the only offense for Western Oregon in the contest with a one-out single in the fourth inning. Smith then proceeded to retire the next seven batters before sophomore Tyler Creach drew a two-out walk in the sixth. The Wolves’ only other base-runner came in the second when sophomore Sydney Bowers reached on a walk.

With the win, Concordia will face the winner of Thursday’s second game between Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene on Friday at 10 a.m. Western Oregon will face the loser between the Wildcats and Nighthawks in an eliminations game on Friday at 12:30 p.m.