The Briar Cliff softball team racked up 29 hits, and received two complete games for their pitchers as they swept RV Midland Sunday. The Chargers picked up their 30th win of the game, matching the second highest season total in program history set in 1997.
 
"What a day for BCU softball," said head coach Erin Bly. "We've worked so hard to get to these moments, and my heart is so full watching this team execute. All facets of the game were working for us today. The girls were prepared and confidently executed the plan. Very proud of this team and their efforts."
 
Karis Gifford extended her on-base streak to 15 games in the doubleheader, while Maddi Duncan earned her 17th win of the season.
 
Game 1 – W, 3-2
 
Gifford led off with a single to center field to start the game, and eventually moved over to third after a pair of wild pitches. With two outs in the inning, Aubrey Chichurka singled to left field, driving in Gifford for the contest's first run.
 
Duncan made quick work of the Warriors with a 1-2-3 inning including two swinging strikeouts. Callie Billings singled and stole second but was left stranded as the Cliff led 1-0 through an inning and half of play.
 
Midland tied the game 1-1 after a solo home run to start the second half of the inning. Duncan responded with six straight outs after the homer, including five straight strikeouts.
 
The Charger bats scored twice in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Chichurka led off with a double, but after back-to-back outs Sydney Lierman faced two outs with a runner in scoring position. Lierman delivered for the Cliff, singling to center field that scored pinch runner Veronica Pitzl. Jessica James followed with a bunt single that moved Lierman all the way to third base. Kennedy Andersen tallied the third straight Charger hit to drive in Lierman.
 
Duncan stranded three Midland baserunners between the fourth and fifth innings but surrendered a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. An unphased Duncan would record the next four outs, ending the 3-2 win with her 12th strikeout of the game.
 
Chichurka tallied three hits to lead the Cliff, while Gifford, Billings and Andersen had two hits each. Eight different Chargers recorded a hit in the contest and Billings stole one base.
 
Duncan improved to 17-4 with her seventh shutout of the season. She allowed two runs on four hits, walked zero and struck out 12 batters.
 
Game 2 – W, 8-3
 
Behind the momentum gained from a game one win over RV Midland, Gifford led off the second contest with a single. Cupples followed with a single, and the Chargers scored first in game two off a Lukes single. A line out double play and a caught stealing would end BC's first inning at the plate.
 
The Warriors tied the game in the bottom half of the first with zero hits but capitalized on three walks and three Charger wild pitches. The Chargers bats provided another run in the second, this time off the bat of Andersen that scored Billings.
 
A much cleaner second inning of work from Katelyn Kotlarz saw the Warriors go down in order with two strikeouts. Lukes, the BC leader in RBIs, drove in Pitzl in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. On the play, Lukes advanced to third on an error by the shortstop but would quickly cross home plate as Chichurka doubled in the next at-bat to give the Cliff a three-run lead.
 
Midland got a run back in the bottom of the fifth after loading the bases with two outs.
 
The Chargers scored two more runs in the top of sixth off the bats of Jessica James and Andersen, and two runs in the seventh courtesy of Ali Naumann and Lierman.
 
Midland, looking to mount a comeback, scored one run in the bottom of the seventh, but would strand three runners after a strikeout ended the 8-3 Charger win.
 
Kotlarz improves to 11-5 on the year after giving up five hits, three runs and striking out nine batters.
 
The Chargers set a new season high with 16 hits. Andersen, Billings and Lukes all tallied three hits apiece. Lukes and Andersen drove in two runs, while Billings scored twice and had a stolen base.
 
The Chargers improve to 30-10 on the season (12-4 GPAC) and are now third in the GPAC standings.
 
Briar Cliff opens their six-game homestand to close the regular season on Tuesday against Dordt at Bishop Mueller Complex. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.