A Successful Start To A 9-Game Road Trip

MORRIS, Minn. (4/05/16)--- Concordia had eight different players pick up at least one hit and used three pitchers to hold Minn.-Morris to only three hits as the Cobbers rolled to a 6-1 victory.

Concordia's overall team effort helped the Cobbers win its fourth game in the last five outings and move to 11-7 in all games. The game against Morris was also the start of nine-game road trip for Concordia. The Cobbers won't play at Bucky Burgau Field until the last week of April.   

The Cougars fall for the sixth straight game and drop to 5-10 on the season.

Playing against Morris for the second time in the last three weeks, Concordia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning and then used a two-run homer by senior Matt Ziebarth in the sixth to finish off the Cougars.    

The six runs would be more than the Cobber pitching staff would need. Kyle Connelly started the game and went six innings. He gave way to Justin Anderson in the seventh who pitched until one out in the ninth. Sophomore Zack Nelson finished off the game by retiring the final two batters of the game.

Connelly allowed only two hits in six innings, gave up one earned run and struck out four. Anderson went 2.1 innings, gave up only a single hit and struck out two. Connelly earns his second win of the year and has lasted at least five innings in three of his four starts this year.  

Ziebarth connected on his first collegiate home run in the sixth inning to move the game from a two-run affair to a four-run outing. It was Ziebarth's only hit of the game and came with two outs in the inning.

Concordia had eight of their nine starting hitters record a hit in the game. Senior designated hitter Jordan Domine was the only CC player with more than one hit. Domine went 2-for-4 from the No.5 spot in the order.

Phil Kuball, Tim Carlson and Alex Sandahl had the other RBI for the Cobbers.

GET TO THE SIXTH
Concordia continued its late-game success with a lead. The Cobbers are now 8-1 when they have lead after the sixth inning. CC is 7-0 when they have the lead after the seventh and 9-0 when leading after eight innings. The sixth inning is also Concordia's best when it comes to run production. Concordia has scored 25 runs in the sixth inning of games and is outscoring its opponents 25-17.

HIT MACHINES
Concordia has four starters hitting over .350 this season. First baseman Turner Storm went 1-for-1 on Tuesday and leads the team with a .444 average. Tim Carlson has a ,366 average while Chad Johnson is third at .356 and Jordan Domine is fourth at .352

All four also extended their multiple-game hitting streaks. Johnson has a team-best 10-game hitting streak after Tuesday. Carlson has hit in six straight games and Storm in five consecutive outings. Johnson has also reached base safely in 12 straight games.

SET IN STONE
The only two players on the Cobbers to start, and play all 18 games this season, at the same position are Phil Kuball at shortstop and Chad Johnson in center filed. Kuball has also batted from the leadoff spot in all 18 games. The only other CC hitter to hold down the same spot in the batting order for the entire year is Tim Carlson who has been cemented into the No.3 spot.       

WHAT'S NEXT
Concordia will stay on the road and head south to the Twin Cities on Tuesday night. The Cobbers will play a doubleheader at defending regular-season champion Bethel on Wednesday starting at 2:30 p.m. CC will then play at perennial league power St. Thomas on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. The Royals are 10-9 on the year and were swept by Augsburg in their conference opener. The Tommies are currently ranked 19th in the nation. UST is 2-0 in the MIAC and 9-3 overall this year.