Boom Goes The Offense

STORY LINE: Concordia scored at least one run in six innings, put up a 10-spot in the third inning and cruised to a 29-1 win over Penn St.-New Kensington. The Cobbers pounded out 20 hits and had six players with two hits as they remain unbeaten on the year.

RECORDS: Concordia runs their season-opening win streak to four games. Their 4-0 start is the best since the 2015 campaign when CC won its first six games. New Kensington is now 1-2 on the year.

SINGLE-GAME RUN RECORD TIE: The 29 runs scored by Concordia ties a school record for most runs scored in a single game. The Cobbers also plated 29 runs against D'Youville (N.Y.) in a 29-2 win in Arizona in 2008. CC also beat D'Youville 24-0 in the first game of the DH that day.

HONORING ANDREW JACKSON: The 29 runs scored by the Cobbers marks the 10th time since 2000 that Concordia has scored at least 20 runs in a game (see list below). It is the first time since 2015 that CC has put up a Jackson.  

Cobber 20-Run Games Since 2000
29 – 2008 vs. D'Youville
29 – 2019 vs. Penn St.-New Kensington
25 – 2000 vs. Westminster
24 – 2008 vs. D'Youville
23 – 2015 vs. Minn.-Morris
22 – 2012 vs. St. Mary's
22 – 2010 vs. Valley City St.
22 – 2003 vs. Macalester
20 – 2011 vs. Minn.-Morris
20 – 2000 vs. Carleton

OPTIMISTICALLY OFFENSIVE: The 29-run outburst continues an early-season trend of double-digit run totals. The Cobbers have scored at least 10 runs in three of the four games this year and are outscoring their opponents by a combined total of 68-9.

GAME CLIFFSNOTES: The two teams traded scoreless first frames before the Cobber offense heard the alarm clock and awoke to score 14 runs in the next two innings. CC scored four times on three hits in the second and then posted 10 runs on five hits in the third when they sent 16 batters to the plate. Concordia also scored eight times in the fifth and then tacked on six more in the sixth and seventh innings.

NUMBERS ON NUMBERS: Concordia posted 20 hits in the game which marks the second time in 2019 they have had at least 20 base knocks in a game. CC also had 23 hits in the opener vs. King's. The Cobbers now have 65 hits in 28 innings of play this year and are hitting .458 as a team…Concordia sent 66 hitters to the plate in the game and used 25 players…the Cobbers had 20 players score at least one run and had 14 players come up with at least one base knock and 17 hitters had at least one RBI.

COLLEGIATE FIRSTS: Concordia had several players record their first collegiate hit in the game. Billy Lynch, Ryan VanMoer, Jake McKeever, Pedro Ortega and Matt Ferley all kept the ball for their first hit in maroon and gold.

KEMEN CLOSES IT OUT: Senior Tyler Kemen stepped on the field for the first time in his college career when he was sent in to play third base in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kemen made the most of his opportunity as he started the game-ending double play. With runners on first and second, Kemen fielded a hard hit ground ball, stepped on third base and then threw across the diamond to end the game.

LUKE LIKES 2-HIT GAMES: Well, he did it again. Sophomore Luke Schultz had another 2-hit game. Schultz has played in all four games this year and has two hits in all four. He is 8-for-16 on the year.

PITCHING? : Lost in the offensive explosion was a pair of quality pitching performances which didn't allow an earned run and gave up only four hits. Drew Olsonawski started the game and went the first three innings. He only allowed one hit and didn't give up an earned run. Kyle Knaeble came on in the fourth inning and pitched four scoreless frames, allowed three hits and struck out seven to pick up his first collegiate win.

BUCKY'S NEATO STAT OF THE DAY: Concordia had six stolen bases in the game – including three from freshman Andy Gravdahl. The six steals is the most in a game since the Cobbers swiped six against Jamestown in 2017. Concordia is now 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts this year.

UP NEXT: Concordia will stay with Penn State opponents when they face Penn St.-Abington on Thursday, Mar. 7 at 3:45 (central time). Abington is 3-6 on the season.