The Concordia University softball team brings its highest ranking in school history to La Grande Saturday.
The Cavaliers, ranked eighth nationally, is off to their best start in the program's history. CU rides a seven-game win streak into the weekend. Concordia leads the Cascade Collegiate Conference with a .322 batting average and holds opponents to a league-best, .174 batting average.
The Cavaliers have been incredible on the mound this season. CU has a conference low ERA of 1.39, which is also ninth in the NAIA. Concordia has stuck out 146 batters and is first in the country in batters struck out per game, 10.18. The Cavaliers' opposing batting average, and hits allowed per game (4.06), are each third in the NAIA.
Renee Santos and Danielle Pulfrey are large parts of Concordia's pitching success. Santos, a transfer from Boise State University, (6-0 0.93 ERA), has fanned 84 batters in 45 innings, along with two-time All-CCC selection, Pulfrey (6-1 1.80 ERA).
The offensive attack for CU is led by shortstop Ali Paz (.455 2 HR 13 RBI), outfielder Kayla Vickaryous (.442 7 SB), and first-baseman Cameron Way (.316 3 HR 14 RBI).
The Cavaliers swept doubleheaders from Corban and Northwest Christian, and have won key non-conference games against Simon Fraser, Azusa Pacific, and Concordia-Irvine. Aided by a pair of wins over No. 10 Simon Fraser, CU made the biggest leap in the softball rankings from the preseason edition released on Feb. 2. Concordia moved up 32 places after receiving just 11 votes in the initial poll.
The Mountaineers were outscored by the Cavaliers 25-6 last season, four CU victories. Concordia left Peggy Anderson Field last season with a 10-3 and 7-2 sweep. Eastern last defeated the Cavs on April 11, 2008, in Portland, 7-2. CU has won four straight games in La Grande. EOU has lost 10 of the last 12 meetings with Concordia.
In last year's games in the Grande Ronde Valley, Vickaryous went 3 for 4 in the first game and scored three times. Pulfrey threw a complete game allowing three earned runs and four hits. One of those hits was a home run by the Mountaineers'
Iris Woodhead. CU blew open a 6-3 lead by scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Vickaryous would add two more runs in the second game victory for Concordia.
Saturday's Game 1 first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Peggy Anderson Field on the EOU campus.
