Story by Chad Waller, Director of Communications & Sports Information
Pictures courtesy of Rick Dominowski, Click HERE to order

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) Thanks to a five-run first inning, No. 9-seed Concordia (Ore.) took control early and rode it to a 7-1 win over No. 5 Central Methodist (Mo.) on Monday at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. During their current four-game winning streak, the Cavaliers have averaged over seven runs per game to move to 3-0 in the World Series.

Concordia advances in the winner’s bracket to take on the winner of No. 2 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) / No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Tuesday at 7 p.m. CDT. Prior to this event, the Cavaliers had never won more than two contests in any World Series.

Concordia, who used a five-run fourth inning to bury William Carey (Miss.) on Friday, used a big inning again to take momentum early. The Cavaliers batted around in the top of the first inning, which began with a flurry. A walk started the offense, followed by three singles and another walk. A Kate Santos single drove home two to give Concordia a 2-0 lead. At that point, Central Methodist starter Haley Kinnison was pulled without recording an out.

Later in the inning, Mariah Jimenez had a RBI single, followed by a two-run single by Sam Owirka. After the dust settled, Concordia held a 5-0 lead.

That is when Concordia’s Mattie Boucher (pictured) went to work in the circle. She gave Central Methodist ample opportunities to put some runs on the board, but used the “bend but don’t break” approach. She walked six on the afternoon and gave up six hits – five of them singles. In all, 11 Central Methodist runners were stranded.

Central Methodist notched a run in the bottom of the second inning courtesy of a Jessie Wilmes single. However, the rally was smothered as Nikki Giovenco was thrown out trying to score from second base.

Concordia tacked on single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Meghan Luebbert’s single plated Rylleigh Zbaraschuk in the sixth. That RBI was Luebbert’s team-leading 70th on the season and sixth in three World Series games. In the seventh, Destinee Chang drove in Taylor Bussey to make the Concordia lead 7-1.

Boucher improved to 17-5 on the year. She posted three strikeouts and recorded her first complete-game victory since April 24 in the 6-0 win against Southern Oregon.

Kinnison took the loss for the Eagles, moving to 21-5 on the year. She allowed five runs on three hits and two walks. Jocie Glaze gobbled up 6.0 innings in relief and allowed two runs on seven hits. She walked two and struck out a pair.

Bussey finished with three hits in four at-bats for Concordia. She scored two runs. Santos and Jimenez each posted a pair of singles. As a team, the Cavaliers finished with 11 singles and no extra-base hits.

Offensively, Jessie Wilmes and Michele Rupard each had two hits for the Eagles.

With the win, Concordia becomes the first No. 9 seed to go 3-0 in the World Series since the current double-elimination format began in 2013.

Central Methodist drops in the elimination bracket to tangle with No. 7 Oregon Tech Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video-streaming company of 17 select NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $20. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.

The double-elimination event is being played out at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex. The City of Sioux City and Morningside College serve as official hosts for the first time. For more information on the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series, click here.