The Briar Cliff softball team tied the program's single-season win record Saturday with a sweep over Hastings. The Chargers, now 32-14 (14-8 GPAC), are locked in as the No. 5 seed heading into next week's GPAC Postseason Tournament.
 
"What a wonderful way to end our regular season. I'm especially grateful for our senior class and what the team accomplished together today," said head coach Erin Bly. "With 32 wins, we've tied for the most wins of all time. We also set a school record for the most wins in conference and the highest finish ever. This groups has worked so hard for so long and it's awesome to see good things happen."
 
"We're excited to get back to the tournament and hope we can make some more memories this week," said Bly.
 
Maddi Duncan continues to close in on the single-season strikeout record. With 12 strikeouts in game one today, Duncan is now just five K's away from setting a new Charger best set by Camille Cruz in 2009. 
 
Game 1 – W, 8-0
 
It was a hitting clinic in game one for the Charger bats, who tallied eight runs on 15 hits. The Chargers totaled four extra base hits, and all nine starters recorded a hit.
 
Karis Gifford led off with a single, and the speedy outfielder crossed home plate on a Ali Naumann double in the next at-bat. The Chargers scored a second run in the bottom of the second, this time with Gifford recording the RBI. Senior Callie Billings led off with a single and would eventually score on Gifford's infield single.
 
Briar Cliff tallied four hits in the bottom of the third, scoring one run on a Jessica James RBI single. After a scoreless fourth inning, the Chargers tacked on two runs in the fifth on an Autumn Soter two-run homerun.
 
Leading 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Gifford would score from first for the second time in the contest on another Naumann double. A Kennedy Andersen SAC fly drove Naumann in as the Cliff took a 7-0 lead. Billings ended the contest via run rule as she drove in Lukes to cap off an 8-0 BC win.
 
Duncan pitched a 6.0 inning, one-hit, complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts.
 
Billings went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, while five Chargers recorded two or more hits.
 
Game 2 – W, 7-3
 
Both teams were in prime position to put up runs in the first, but the Broncos left three on base, while BC left two.

The Chargers erupted for six runs in the second on three hits and three Hastings errors. Soter drove in Billings, while a fielder's choice from Sydney Lierman and a single from Gifford scored two more runs. With runners on the corners, Lukes drove in a pair on a triple to deep right-center field and was drove in by Andersen in the next at-bat.
 
Lukes drove in the Cliff's seventh run with a double to left center.
 
The Broncos scored once in the fifth and twice in the seventh, but Katelyn Kotlarz closed out the regular season with a swinging strikeout.
 
Kotlarz went all 7.0 innings in the pitcher's circle. She allowed three runs, four hits and struck out 13 batters.
 
Lukes went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two extra base hits, while Naumann scored twice.
 
The Chargers will head to the Northwestern Bracket in the GPAC Postseason Tournament next Wednesday in Orange City, Iowa. The Chargers will face the No. 4 seeded Dordt Defenders at 2 p.m. at Northwestern Softball Diamond.