MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin softball team closed the regular season riding a nine-game winning streak and closed the schedule with a pair of five-inning victories over the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The 8-0 and 10-2 victories helped the Falcons clinch the second seed in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Softball Tournament with an 18-6 record in conference play and a 27-13 overall record.
The Falcons struck early on Saturday with a run in the second inning. Sophomore Natalie Kinney (Roscoe, Ill.) smacked a double into the gap in left-center field that scored junior Jenna Lischka (Manitowoc, Wis.) from second base after she knocked a double down the left-field line.
The Birds put three runs on the scoreboard in the third inning and junior Jenna Shadoski started the inning off with a single and she then scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly from senior Rylie DuVal (Elgin, Ill.).
Senior Maggie Plahmer (Slinger, Wis.) pounced on a pitch and doubled to left-center field, scoring senior Nora Statz (Helenville, Wis.). Plahmer then scored from second base as she showcased her speed on a freshman Faith Keiper (Tomball, Texas) single to left field.
The Blue and White kept the pressure on in the fourth inning with three more runs. Rylie DuVal sent the ball on a ride down the left-field line on a double that plated Nora Statz all the way from first base. Maggie Plahmer kept torturing the Raiders with a double to right field to send home DuVal.
Faith Keiper closed the fourth inning scoring with a dynamic double to the gap in left-center to score Maggie Plahmer.
The Maggie Plahmer Show continued in the fifth inning when she ended the game with a double that activated the run rule when Jenna Shadoski waltzed home after already stealing second and third base.
Maggie Plahmer led the contest with three hits and three RBI. Maybe this game will be the final wake up call to the NACC Player of the Week committee who slept on her 0.700 batting average last week…
Faith Keiper ruined the Raiders' day in the circle in game one with only three hits against and three strikeouts.
We are going to keep talking about Maggie Plahmer… She started the Birds off again in the first inning with a triple to left field that allowed Jenna Shadoski to score. She later scored when junior Isa Bruno (Chicago, Ill.) crushed the ball over the center field fence.
In the second inning, Nora Statz cleared the bases with a single to center field that landed Jenna Shadoski and senior Julia Moker (Richfield, Wi.) on home plate.
Jenna Shadoski added to the lead in the third inning when she showed off her spectacular speed with a bunt single that squeezed Natalie Kinney across home plate.
Nora Statz scored Julia Moker as well in the third inning on a sacrifice fly.
The Raiders scored their lone runs of the day in the fourth inning on a pair of singles.
The Falcons immediately responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Jenna Lischka found the gap in left-center field and Maggie Plahmer scored. Natalie Kinney then singled to center field, sending in Isa Bruno. It was Julia Moker's chance to activate the run rule in game two. Her sacrifice fly that scored Jenna Lischka put the Falcons up eight runs.
The Raiders put two base runners on in the fifth inning, but a strikeout and a pop up ended the season for the Raiders, as the loss eliminated them from the NACC Tournament.
Jenna Shadoski led the Falcons in two with three hits and two stolen bases. Nora Statz was our fearless leader in the second half with three RBI.
Junior Emma Shellstrom (San Diego, Calif.) silenced the Raider bats with five strikeouts in the victory.
With the victories today, the Falcons secured the second seed in the NACC Tournament, locking in the double bye for the Blue and White. CUW finished tied for second place with Benedictine, but hold the tiebreaker after sweeping Dominican. Concordia will now play on Friday and be secured a spot on Saturday in the double-elimination tournament.
