Cobbers Fall In Series Finale At Bethel

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (5/03/21)---Concordia conceded a pair of 4-run innings and lost 11-2 at Bethel in the final game of the 3-game series. The two teams split their high-scoring doubleheader on Saturday before the Royals were able to connect on a trio of home runs to claim the series clincher.

The loss drops the Cobbers' overall record to 13-13 on the season. CC is now 7-9 in MIAC play which has the in seventh place in the league standings – 1.5 games out of the sixth, and final, playoff spot.    

Concordia took an early 1-0 lead in the third inning when Thomas Horan singled to right field which scored Justin Kloster after Kloster walked to start the inning.

Bethel (19-13, 12-10 MIAC) then scored the next six runs in the game before the Cobbers were able to stop the streak with an Andy Gravdahl home run.

The Royals tied the game in the bottom of the third with a single run and then took a 5-1 lead with a 4-spot in the fourth. They would push the lead to 6-1 with the second of their three long balls on the day.

Gravdahl led off the top of the sixth with an HR to left-center field that trimmed the lead to 6-2. That would be the end of the runs scored by CC on the day. The Cobbers had two hits in the final three innings of play and lost by nine after Bethel put up their second 4-spot in the bottom of the sixth.

The Cobbers were outhit 13-7 in the game. CC had six different players collect one hit each. Gravdahl and Horan had the run-scoring base knocks while Matt Gruber, Noah Pilon, Toby Sayles and Max Boran also put a mark in the hit column.

Concordia used five pitchers in the game. Sophomore Gabe Duncan got the start and went the first 5.0 innings. Bryan Wiedeman, Ben Swanson, Sean McGuire and Boran all followed to finish out the final 3.0 frames. Boran had the most success of the group as he pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

BETHEL BOPPER: The long ball for Gravdahl was his third in as many games against Bethel. He had a home run in each of the games against the Royals on Saturday. His 3-HR spree has upped his team-best season total to four. That is the most in any single season for Gravdahl who entered the year with only one long ball. His four homers are tied for fourth in the MIAC and the most by any Cobber since the 2016 season when Tim Carlson clouted five long balls. The most homers in a single season for a CC player is 14 which was set by Tim Carlson in 2009.

Gravdahl's homer in the sixth also extended his on-base streak to 14 games and his hit streak to six games.

DRIVE 'EM HOME HORAN: Horan's third-inning RBI single was his team-leading 23rd of the season.  He has at least one RBI in 10 games this year and posted six RBI in the three games with Bethel. Horan's 23 RBI are tied for sixth most in the MIAC.     

RECAP SPONSOR: Today's recap sponsor is Bursch Travel. When you want to get away, and can't hop aboard one of Andy Gravdahl's rocket shots over the fence, contact the folks at Bursch Travel for all your travel needs.