Late Heroics Earn Eagles Split With Toros

Game One         Game Two 

(2/15/08 - Softball) CARSON - A three-run rally in the 7th inning of game two kept #25-ranked Concordia alive and allowed the Eagles earn a 9-7 win in 8 innings for a split with host Cal State Dominguez Hills after losing the opener, 4-2, Friday afternoon in non-conference play.

For the second-straight day, freshman 2B Isabel Chavez provided some late-inning heroics for the Eagles. Less than 24 hours earlier, Chavez provided a RBI-single in the 6th inning against Belhaven (Miss.) that led to a 4-3 win. On Friday, Chavez again singled, this time with the Eagles one out away from suffering their first sweep of the season. Her run-scoring hit to right field tied the game at 7-7 to complete a three-run rally.

The Eagles, who had battled out of trouble all afternoon, once again survived a Toros rally in the 7th as the first two runners reached base. Sarah Frudakis (3-0) took over for Kory Briggs and got the first out on a fly ball. A second fielding error in the inning loaded the bases, but the junior right-hander survived the inning as Liz Vazquez flew out to center and Shannon Walton fired a strike to the plate to prevent Katie Garcia from scoring the winning run.

Frudakis got the Eagles going in the extra inning by drawing a leadoff walk, then Michelle Carter roped a one-out single to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Caitlyn Senkbeil came through with a RBI-single for what proved to be the winning run.

A wild pitch moved Carter and Senkbeil up one base, then Walton walked with two outs. Lauren Hastings hit a sharp grounder to first, which was mishandled, and Carter was able to give the Eagles an insurance run.

Nothing came easy for the Eagles on the day and they were made to sweat out a nervous bottom half of the inning. Kristin Tanaka led off with a single up the middle, then Jennifer Frazier reached on the 4th Concordia error of the game. A passed ball put the tying run on second base with the Eagles still needing to record three outs.

Frudakis, however, was not phased and slammed the door on the Toros. Two fly balls to Walton in center were sandwiched around a strikeout to allow the Eagles to enjoy a hard-fought doubleheader split.

The comeback wasn't the first for the Eagles on the day as they faced a 2-1 deficit and two outs in the 6th inning with Carly Smith stepping to the plate. The freshman C displayed the power that have kept her in the cleanup spot all season long as she blasted her first collegiate home run.

The tie was shortlived, however, as the Toros took advantage of a walk, passed ball and an error to set the table for Katie Jordan to deliver a two-out, 2-RBI single that proved the difference in the opening game.

Chavez finished the day 4-for-8 while Senkbeil and Ashley Alvarez each finished 3-for-7 while combining to score four runs. Walton also left the yard for the first time this season, blasting a three-run home run in the 3rd inning of game two that gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead.

Frudakis picked up the win in game two, allowing just one hit over two innings while striking out one. Reekstin (3-1) suffered her first loss of the campaign in the opener, yielding four unearned runs on just three hits in five innings.

Concordia (9-3) returns home next Tuesday, February 19 to take on Southern Oregon with the first game of the doubleheader set to start at 1:00 p.m.