An Exciting Series Opener In Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (3/15/24)---If the first game of the Cobbers' 3-game series at Neb. Wesleyan is any indication of what the other two games will be like, then fans will be in for an exciting weekend of college baseball.

Concordia and the Prairie Wolves got locked into a battle that featured run streaks, a trio of Concordia long balls, a 4-run comeback in the last three innings and a walkoff hit-by-pitch.

In the end, the Cobbers dropped a dramatic 10-9 decision in 10 innings. The loss gives Concordia a 3-9 record for the season, while Neb. Wesleyan moves to 5-7.

Concordia opened the 19-run, 24-hit afternoon by taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Thomas Horan single that scored Jake Christianson from second base after Christianson smacked a 1-out double.

The Prairie Wolves countered with three runs in the bottom of the first and then CC was able to get to within one run at 3-2 when David Dorsey connected on the first three home runs of the day. The long ball was Dorsey's first of the year.

Neb. Wesleyan proceeded to score the next four runs in the game to put the Cobbers behind at 7-2. Concordia responded with their own run streak by scoring six of the next seven runs. By the time the dust settled, that game was tied at 8-8 entering the eighth inning.

Concordia's first two runs on the comeback path were brought home off the bat of Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe. Ben Shumansky had a 1-out single and then Henkemeyer-Howe hammered a ball over the fence for a 2-run shot. The long ball was his first of the year and brought CC within three at 7-4.

The Prairie Wolves tacked on a lone run in the bottom of the sixth before CC exploded for four runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 8-8. Horan, Henkemeyer-Howe, Dorsey and Wyatt Gunkel had the RBI in the inning that deadlocked the game. The Cobbers didn't have an extra-base hot in the frame but were able to get runners on base and sent 10 hitters to the plate.

The game remained knotted at 8-8 until the top of the 10th inning. Chance Bye led off extra innings by hitting his first homer of the year to give CC a 9-8 lead. Unfortunately for the Cobbers, Neb. Wesleyan would be able to score two runs in the bottom of the inning to win the game 10-9.

The Cobbers outhit the Prairie Wolves 13-11 in the game. The 13 hits are the second-highest total for the year for CC.

Dorsey went 4-for-4 with the long ball and two RBI. He leads the team in hitting with a .417 average on the year.

Wyatt Gunkel went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

The Cobbers had four pitchers on the stat sheet for the game. Brett Englemeyer got the start and went 2.0 innings. Wyatt Mohr pitched the next 3.0 innings before giving the ball to Alex Rudquist. Rudquist went 3.0 innings and only allowed one run on one hit and struck out three. Bye finished off the game.

UP NEXT: Concordia will finish off the 3-game series with Neb. Wesleyan when they play a doubleheader in Lincoln, Neb. On Saturday, Mar.16.