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

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) No. 9 seed Concordia (Ore.) overcame a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to take a 10-9 extra-inning win over No. 1 LSU Alexandria (La.) Saturday night at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. The Cavaliers, who win two games in the World Series for the first time in school history, snapped the 41-game LSU Alexandria season-winning streak.

Concordia, who is appearing in just its third World Series and first since 2010, advances in the winner’s bracket to tangle with No. 5 Central Methodist (Mo.) Monday at 4 p.m. CDT.

The Generals fall into the elimination round and face No. 6 Mobile (Ala.) Monday at 1 p.m.

It looked as if LSU Alexandria would notch its first-ever World Series victory in its second-straight event as the top seed, but the Cavaliers had a different idea. Trailing 9-7 in the bottom of the ninth, Sam Owirka doubled to lead off the Concordia rally. After a fly-out, Kelsie Merritt reached on an error. Taylor Bussey doubled in Owirka to cut the Generals lead to 9-8. The next batter, Kate Santos sent a pitch to right-center for the game-winning, two-run double.

Overall, there were a total of seven lead changes in the game.

LSU Alexandria showed why they are the No. 1 offense in the NAIA with four quick runs in their first two at-bats. The Generals entered the game out-scoring their opponents nearly 3-to-1 in the first inning. Taylor Simon had a run-producing double, which was followed by a two-run homer by Kelsey Hollier to open up the game.

“To go down 4-0 pretty quick, it did seem insurmountable,” said Concordia head coach Carrie Kosderka-Farrell. “Maybe the best thing for us was being sent to the No. 1 seed in the Opening Round. My kids don’t know any better. They just went in and took care of it (beating No. 1 seed Oklahoma City in Opening Round) and when they see a No. 1 seed, it’s like we play the best we can and fight until the very end.”

Concordia’s Taylor Copher blasted her first of two home runs to stir up the offense. After her swing, the Cavaliers trailed 4-2 after two innings. The Cavaliers put up three more runs on the board in the fourth to take a short-lived 5-4 lead. LSU Alexandria came back in the fifth frame with two runs on a sacrifice fly and a Concordia defensive miscue to hold a 6-5 advantage.

But in the bottom of the fifth, Copher’s second roundtripper put her name in the NAIA World Series record books. The junior third baseman becomes the seventh different player, on the eighth different occasion, since 2008 to record two homers in a World Series game. Heading into the sixth inning, Concordia led 7-6.

The game was forced into extra innings after a Kimberly Gonzalez sacrifice fly tied the score at 7-7 in the top of the seventh.

The Cavaliers had to come up with another miracle in the bottom of the ninth if they wanted to stay in the winner’s bracket. LSU Alexandria plated two runs in the top of the ninth on a two-RBI single from Paulean Gonzalez. Her first hit of the game handed the Generals a 9-7 lead.

But, Santos and the Concordia offense came through in the clutch to send the program to a Monday winner’s bracket contest.

Copher led the Concordia offense with two hits and four RBIs. Meghan Luebbert finished with three RBIs.

For LSU Alexandria, Thomas tallied three hits and one RBI. Three other Generals posted a pair of hits.

Concordia’s Mattie Boucher, going 8.0 innings in relief of starter Lucy Baldovino, improved to 16-5 on the year. She gave up five runs (3 earned) on eight hits. She struck out two and walked four.

Marci West dropped her first game this year in the circle and now stands 21-1 for LSU Alexandria. She lasted 4.0 innings in relief and gave up three runs (2 earned) on three hits. She also collected three strikeouts.

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.