2-Run Innings Rule The Day

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/28/18)---Concordia and Gustavus traded decisive 2-run innings as the teams split their MIAC twinbill on Saturday.

The Cobbers used a 2-run fifth inning to win the opener 3-1 and then the Gusties posted 2-run frames in the first and seventh and won the nightcap 5-2.

The split keeps Concordia's conference record at the .500 level. CC is now 6-6 in league play. They are 13-14 in all games. Gustavus moves to 4-6 in the MIAC and 12-13 overall.

Besides the 2-run fifth, the story of the game was the consistent pitching of starter Austin Ver Steeg. Ver Steeg allowed at least one hit in five of the six innings he pitched but only allowed a single run in the fourth inning.      

Ver Steeg went 6.0 innings, gave up six hits but held the Gusties to 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-12 with runners on base. Ver Steeg remains perfect on the year as he is now 3-0 for the season.

Zack Nelson entered the game in the seventh inning and retired three of the four batters he faced to record his first save of the season.  

Both teams had six hits in the game. The Cobbers had six different players with one hit in the opener. Nate Hoeft and Turner Storm both had a single RBI.

The Gusties broke out to a 3-0 lead in the second game before Concordia got on the board with a single score in the fourth when Nate Leintz singled home Chad Johnson who had led off the inning with a double.

CC cut the margin to 3-2 in the sixth frame and then nearly tied the game before getting a base runner thrown out at home. Ver Steeg doubled down the left field line with two outs which plated Storm. Nate Sillerud tried to score all the way from first on the play but was thrown out on an extremely close play at the plate.

Gustavus then added two more insurance runs in the seventh inning.

The Cobbers used four pitchers in the game. Adam Nibaur lasted the longest as he came on in the second inning and went 4.0 innings. He only allowed three hits and one earned run.

Johnson was the only Concordia player with more than one hit in Game 2. He went 2-for-4 and scored a run.

STREAKS AND STUFF: Jake Stilwell had a hit in the first game to extend his hitting streak to five games. Catcher Alec Sames had a single in Game 1 and was hit by a pitch in Game 2 to extend his on-base streak to seven games. Chad John's 2-hit game in the second game upped his team-leading multiple-hit game total to nine games this season.    

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will complete their back-to-back home conference weekend when they host St. Mary's on Sunday, Apr. 29 at 1 p.m.