During the final 10 days of 2019, the PacWest is counting down 10 memorable events from across the conference in the calendar year. This is the seventh installment in the 2019 Games of the Year series, featuring Concordia softball’s win versus Hawai`i Hilo.
IRVINE, Calif. – It’s not hard to figure out why the PacWest sports information directors voted Concordia’s 1-0 win over Hawai`i Hilo as the best regular season game in 2020 across all sports. In the third game of a series between the top-2 teams in the PacWest standings, PacWest Pitcher of the Year
Callie Nunes pitched a no-hitter, and
Lauren Lopez stole home plate for the only run in a walk-off victory for the Eagles.
Lopez was on third base with two outs in a scoreless game, pinch running for
Mackenzie Graham, who got the first hit of the game to lead off the inning.
Sarah Kretschmar stepped into the right-handed batting box and took a ball low and inside from
Valerie Alvarado.
"When I go in, I just want to do whatever it takes to score," said Lopez. "Everyone was so excited. It was great."
Lopez took a big lead off third base and then broke for home as soon as the catcher tossed the ball back to Alvarado.
Markie Okamoto quickly leapt up to cover home plate, and Alvarado threw the ball right back home. Kretschmar, after blocking Okamoto’s view down the third-base line, realized what was happening and jumped out of the way so that Lopez could slide head first into home plate. Lopez beat the throw and touched home plate with her left hand to secure the victory for Concordia.
"When I saw Lauren take off, we lost it in the dugout," said Nunes. "It's a great feeling seeing our teammate succeed."
That was the only way that either team was able to score in a thrilling pitching battle. Both pitchers took no hitters into the seventh inning, but the way they got there was very different. In seven innings, Nunes faced 26 batters and only nine of them put the ball in play as she struck out 12 with three walks and two hit batters. Alvarado depended on her defense, which recorded 10 ground outs and nine fly outs with no errors, while Alvarado struck out one batter.
Concordia twice had runners in scoring position in the first six innings, but Alvarado quickly got out of the jam both times. In the fifth inning, Nunes struck out the side in order, and in the sixth inning, Alvarado recorded two-consecutive 1-3 groundouts to send the game into the final frame with no runs for either team.
In the seventh inning, Nunes issued her third walk of the game, but struck out the next two batters, tying her second highest single game strikeout total of the season. Graham broke up the dual no-hitter with a hit that got through to left field for a single. Head coach
Crystal Rosenthal decided to play small ball, sending in Lopez as a pinch runner and
Nicole Lukinbeal as a pinch hitter.
Lukinbeal fulfilled her role perfectly, laying a bunt down the third-base line to advance Lopez to second base.
Sydni Dix did the same thing, grounding out to the pitcher to allow Lopez to move safely to third base with two outs. That set the stage for the walkoff steal of home plate that gave Concordia the victory.
Concordia went on to win the PacWest with a 30-3 record in PacWest play and a 47-8 overall record. The Eagles earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional and finished as sub-regional champions, celebrating on their home field after a 5-0 win over Western Oregon.
2019 GAMES OF THE YEAR
5. Chaminade softball at Hawai`i Hilo (April 20)
6. Mobolade Ajomale at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (May 25)
7. Concordia softball at Academy of Art (April 17)
8. Chaminade men’s basketball at Azusa Pacific (February 19)
9. Holy Names men’s golf at PacWest Championships (April 24)
10: Fresno Pacific women’s cross country at PacWest Championships (October 25)