Third Time Is Tough

MORRIS, Minn. (4/13/16)—The old sports saying goes "it's hard to beat a team three times in a season." The Cobbers found that to be true as they came up a run short and lost 2-1 at Minn.-Morris in the third game played between the two teams this year.

Concordia had beaten the Cougars in the previous two games and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth but then single-run innings in the fourth and seventh sent CC to its fourth straight loss.

The Cobbers are now 12-11 on the season while Morris ups its record to 7-13.

In the past four games Concordia hasn't been able to put together offense and pitching in the same game. The last three games the Cobbers' pitching staff has only allowed an average of 3.0 runs but the offense has only scored 1.3 runs.

Concordia got great pitching performances from four hurlers. Kyle Connelly started the game and went the first four innings. He was followed by Cole Christensen, Justin Anderson and Tim Carlson.

Connelly only gave up one earned run on six hits and lowered his season ERA to 4.30. Christensen pitched the fifth inning and gave up a two-out single but then struck out the next hitter to keep the game tied at 1-1. Anderson came on for the sixth and seventh frames and didn't allow an earned run. He was handed the loss in the seventh after he got the first two batters out. A single, stolen base and error plated the winning run. Carlson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning in his fourth appearance of the year.

The Cobbers scored their only run of the game when Carlson doubled to left field and advance to third on a single from Jordan Domine. Turner Storm then went to right field for an RBI single.

Concordia would get a single hit in four of the final five innings but couldn't string base knocks together to get another un on the board.

The Cobbers were outhit 10-9 in the game. Carlson and Storm combined for five of the team's nine hits. Carlson went 2-for-3 and scored the lone run while Storm was 3-for-3 from the No.5 spot in the batting order.

Concordia had 17 fly outs in the game and went 2-for-13 (.154) with runners on base and 1-for-9 (.111) with two outs in an inning.

STORMY WEATHER
Sophomore Turner Storm continues to tear the cover off the ball. He went 3-for-3 to record his sixth multiple-hit game in his past 10 games. Turner is now hitting .488 which leads the team. Storm is currently second in the MIAC in batting average, third in on-base percentage (.549) and fifth in slugging percentage (.698).    

TWO-WAY TIM
Senior Tim Carlson had a very productive day at the plate and on the mound. Carlson went 2-for-4 and had two doubles – the only extra-base hits for CC. He is now hitting .341 and has eight doubles which is sixth best in the MIAC. On the mound Carlson had a perfect eighth inning and now has a team-best 2.25 ERA.

WHAT'S NEXT
Concordia will return to conference play this weekend. The Cobbers will travel to Minneapolis to take on Augsburg on Saturday at 1 p.m. The two games are the seventh and eighth of CC's 10-game road trip. The Auggies are 14-12 overall and 4-4 in the MIAC and have split their last two league twinbills.