LEESBURG, Fla. - The Bluffton University softball team dropped a 2-0 pitcher's duel to Concordia-Chicago on a beautiful Sunday, March 6, 2022, at THE Spring Games in Leesburg, Fla. Concordia improved to 1-2 on the season while the Beavers start with a 0-1 mark. The Bluffton-St. Mary's game was cancelled, along with every game two on Sunday, due to an umpire shortage.

Bluffton's Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) worked around runners on first and third with one out in the top of the first when fellow junior Lily Tate (Mount Gilead/Northmor) started a slick 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. The game was still scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Concordia plated two tallies thanks to a leadoff triple to the gap in right center, back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly.

Base knocks by freshman Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) and junior Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Hayes) put runners on the corners in the sixth, but Bluffton was unable to get the key hit as the Beavers dropped a 2-0 decision on Sunday morning.

Norman allowed two runs on five hits in 4.0 innings of work. Freshman Madison Jones (West Milton) tossed two scoreless frames in relief. McCartney and junior Sydney Zinkon (Fresno/Ridgewood) both laced two hits in the season-opening loss.

Bluffton will go back to work on Monday, March 7, when they take on Mount Mary at 12:45 PM, again from Leesburg.

-BEAVERS-