Apr. 09– Concordia (17-9, 6-1 NSIC) earned a split on the road Wednesday afternoon defeating Winona State (22-9, 8-1 NSIC) 6-0 in the first game of the day, before falling 6-4 in game two in Northern Sun action.

Game 1 - Concordia 6, Winona State 0
Junior Natalie Mast (Oakdale, MN) led off the game with a double for the Golden Bears and would score on the next play when senior Nicole Tischler (St. Paul, MN) reached on an error by the Warriors third baseman.  Tischler would score two batters later when Tiffani Rodd (So., Cloquet, MN) grounded out to the second baseman, giving Concordia a 2-0 lead.

The Golden Bears would score another unearned run in the third inning after freshman Sami Mattson (Esko, MN) singled to the shortstop and would score on a throwing error by the Winona State pitcher two batters later.

Concordia did the majority of their damage in the fourth inning after Josey Olson (So., Columbia Heights, MN) led off the inning with a single, Mast earned a walk and Abby Brundidge (So., Nekoosa, WI) was hit by a pitch, Rodd hit a two-out double that scored three runs giving the Golden Bears a 6-0 lead.

That would be more than enough as freshman Stephanie Schmika (Madison, WI) earned her third career complete game shutout allowing just five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Concordia finished the game with six runs (only three earned) on eight hits.  Rodd was 2-4 with four RBI, while Mattson also was 2-4 with a run scored.

Game 2 - Winona State 6, Concordia 4
Concordia outhit the Warriors 7-5 in the game two, but the Golden Bears defense faltered as Winona State scored all six of it runs unearned on four Concordia errors and five passed balls. 

After trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning, Sami Mattson led off the inning with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Nikki Scherr (So., Stewartville, MN).  She scored on a single to left field by Natalie Mast.  Nicole Tischler reached on a singled to third.  Both Mast and Tischler would score on a double by Abby Brundidge, giving Concordia a 3-1 lead.

Winona State got one run back in the bottom of the fifth on three straight walks, a passed ball and a Concordia error.  The Warriors scored four runs on two hits, two errors and two passed balls in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Concordia scored one more in the top of the seventh on Brundidge's second double of the game, but that would be all, falling 6-4.

Brundidge was 2-4 with three RBI, while Anna Bjorlin (So., Hermantown, MN) was 2-2 with a double and a walk.

Freshman Cassye McMahon (Rescue, CA) allowed two runs (both unearned) on three hits, but did surrender six walks in 4.2 innings of work.  Jenn Kaminski (Jr., Columbia Heights, MN) came in and gave up four unearned runs on just two hits and no walks in 1.1 innings, taking the loss.

The Golden Bears are now 18-9 (6-1 NSIC).  They were scheduled to host Minnesota Duluth in non-conference action on Thursday, Apr. 10, but that game has been cancelled.  They will now host an eight-team tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Dunning Softball Complex.