Kylee Lukes delivered in clutch moments Friday evening to lead the Charger softball team to a sweep of Concordia. Briar Cliff improves to 28-10 (10-4 GPAC) on the season and picked up their 15th road win of the season.
 
"Today was some of the toughest conditions we've played in all year," said head coach Erin Bly. "We need to do a better job scoring runners. But with the blistery conditions, I thought we did a good job pitching and on defense."
 
Lukes' RBI single in the top of the eighth was the difference, and in game two she put the ball in play, reaching via CUNE error while plating the game winning run.
 
"Karis continues to be very consistent for us at the plate. Defensively we did a very good job keeping the errors at bay," said Bly. "We will work on some offensive things tomorrow at practice and look to play two tough games at Midland Sunday!"
 
Game 1 – W, 1-0 (8 innings)
The Bulldogs was the first to move a runner into scoring position on third base in the bottom of the first. Charger pitcher Maddi Duncan was able to escape the inning with a fly out in the next at-bat. In the top of the second, Ali Naumann singled and stole second base before moving to third after a Callie Billings groundout. The Bulldogs, however, were able to record the third out of the inning in the next at-bat.
 
Duncan recorded a strikeout to begin the second inning but would surrender a triple to the next Bulldog batter. Duncan worked out of the jam with back-to-back swinging strikeouts.
 
While the Charger bats were quiet throughout the contest, Duncan alongside the BC defense, shut out the Bulldogs. Duncan recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed just four hits, while the fielders helped her out by committed zero errors.
 
Heading to the eighth inning, Jessica James reached base via error by the first baseman and was moved to second after a Karis Gifford single. Gifford was called out at second on a Karina Cupples fielder's choice, but the play moved James over to third. Lukes singled up the middle, providing the game winning run for the Cliff.
 
Duncan improves to 16-4 on the season after her seventh shutout and 14th complete game.
 
Gifford extended her hit streak to 11 games after going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Lukes, Naumann and Billings recorded the other three hits for the Cliff.
 
Game 2 – W, 6-5
 
Billings put the Chargers on the scoreboard early, driving in Lukes with an infield single in the first inning. Katelyn Kotlarz made quick work of the CUNE batters in the bottom half of the inning, forcing three ground outs to the left side of the infield.
 
Concordia tied the game up in the bottom of the second and took the lead in the fourth with a pair of runs. Aubrey Chichurka got one run back in the fifth with a double to right field that scored Cupples. The Bulldogs, however, answered right back with two more runs in the bottom half to go up 5-2.
 
The Chargers loaded the bases in the sixth, and it was Lukes who got the scoring started with an infield single. Chichurka reached on a fielder's choice that plated Gifford, but Cupples was out at third on the play. Naumann tied the ballgame at 5-5 with a single to center field that scored Lukes.
 
The Chargers capitalized on three Bulldog errors in the top of the seventh, as Cupples reached on an error that moved Gifford into scoring position. Lukes put the ball in play in the next at-bat to the shortstop, who committed an error, that allowed Gifford to round third and score the game winning run.
 
Kotlarz shut the door on the Bulldog comeback with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh.
 
Kotlarz earned her 10th win of the season after throwing 6.1 innings with five strikeouts.
 
James tallied two hits, Billings drew three walks while Lukes and Gifford each scored twice. Three Chargers recorded stolen bases.
 
The Chargers return to Nebraska on Sunday for a doubleheader against Midland in Fremont, Nebraska. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.