THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University softball team picked up its 20th win of the 2015 season this afternoon in their sweep of visiting Concordia University (Mich.).  In game one, the Lady Night Hawks defeated the Cardinals in an 11-2 run rule victory in their five inning contest while they escaped with the 8-6 win in game two.
 
The Lady Night Hawks stormed out to a major lead in the first inning of play over the visiting Cardinals.  Thomas plated eight runs with all Lady Night Hawks having a chance to bat in the inning.  Alex VanWagner and Chandler Seay started the game off reaching on back-to-back bunt singles.  With runners on the corners, Thomas scored the first run of the game on a designed double steal.  Two pitches later, catcher Michael Cooper lifted a single to left to score Seay.  With one out in the inning, first baseman Kelsey Connolly drove in the third run of the game on a RBI-double to deep center.  Concordia's starter, Kelsey Schaus, would load the bases with one out when she hit shortstop Lindsey Young with an inside fastball.  Second baseman Kayla Johnson drove in the fourth Night Hawk run of the game with a bunt single in between third and short.  On a 2-2 count, center fielder Brittany Daniels would increase TU's gap to 6-0 with a 2-RBI single to shallow center.  Seay, during her second at bat of the inning, drove in the final runs of the frame with a liner just over the outreached glove of CU's first baseman to give Thomas the 8-0 lead.
 
Both teams would go scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Thomas plated three insurance runs to improve their advantage to 11-0.  The Cardinals scrapped two runs off TU reliever Alex Fair in the top of the fifth, but were shut down to end game one in an 11-2 run-rule victory for the Lady Night Hawks.  Thomas' starter, Katie Lopes (6-2) picked up the win while Concordia's Cheyenne Brierley suffered the loss.  Fair picked up her fifth save of the season in the victory.
 
Game two started out as a dominate run by the Lady Night Hawks.  Thomas, who fed off their previous rout in game one, faced a late rally by the Cardinals in the final innings, but escaped with the 8-6 victory.  Concordia took the 1-0 lead in the opening inning when first baseman Iesha Waters launched a solo shot over the left field wall.  The Lady Night Hawks responded in the bottom of the second to take the 5-1 lead.  Seay, who was having a career day, drove in the TU's first two runs of the game with a single to the right-center gap. After a seven pitch battle, Cooper lined a double to gap in left to score VanWagner, giving Thomas the 3-1 lead.  Third baseman Rachel Hoeft came on to deliver the final two runs of the inning on a 2-RBI-single through the middle.
 
The Hunter Green and White plated three insurance runs in the bottom of the third before Concordia respond in the top of the fourth to cut TU's lead to 8-5.  In the top of the fifth, the Cardinals scored the final run of their rally on a leadoff homerun by Lindsey Pyle.  Thomas' starting pitcher, Ashley Sikes, picked up the victory with reliever Ashley Chapman receiving the save.  Concordia's Corrina Rotondo was credited with the loss.
 
Thomas improves to 20-7 on the year while Concordia (Mich.) drops to 1-3.
 
The Lady Night Hawks return to action on Wed., March 18, when they travel to Cochran, Ga., to face Middle Georgia State College in a two-game set.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. with game two beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
 
For up-to-date information on these games and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU softball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksSoftb.