Olmen's Walkoff Single Earns Split With Hamline

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/11/12)—Kara Olmen's seeing-eye, walkoff,bloop single scored Emily Salo from second base in the bottom of the seventh inning to help Concordia gain a split with Hamline on Wednesday. The Cobbers fell 6-2 in the opener but then rallied to post a 3-2 win in the second game.
 
The win in the second game ended a five-game losing streak for Concordia. The Cobbers are now 6-17 overall and 4-6 in league games. The Pipers snapped a losing streak of their own with the victory in the opener. Hamline entered the day having lost 16 straight games but managed their first MIAC win in the first game. HU is now 2-22 overall and 1-9 in the MIAC.

The opener was decided in the fourth inning. After each team failed to score in the first three innings of the day, Hamline came up with five runs on six hits and took a commanding 5-0 lead. CC got two back in the bottom of the inning but were never able to threaten after the fifth and lost by four.

The Pipers outhit Concordia 12-6 in the first game. Joelle Link had a team-high two hits for CC as she went 2-for-3 and scored a run and drove in a run. MacKenzie Weatherly went the distance in the circle for the Cobbers and allowed six earned runs and struck out three.

The second game was all about missed opportunities for the Cobbers. CC stranded 12 runners in game 2 and couldn't plate a runner with the bases loaded and less than two outs in the second and sixth innings. Concordia was 0-for-4 with the bases loaded and just 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Hamline scored single runs in the second and third innings while the Cobbers continued to struggle against Piper pitcher Bri Vela. Vela pitched the entire 14 innings on the day. Concordia started their comeback in the fourth inning when Salo singled through the left side to score Ashley Tibbetts. CC then tied the game in the fifth. Tibbetts singled to center which brought home Kaia Sele from second.

That set the stage for the seventh inning heroics from Olmen. It looked like the game was headed for extra innings after Concordia grounded into a double play. However, Salo laced a ball down the right field line and then Olmen hit a bloop single to left that eluded the on charging left fielder and the back pedaling shortstop.

The Cobbers held a 12-4 edge in hits in the second game. Tibbetts was 4-for-4, scored a run and drove in a run. Salo, Olmen and Kaia Sele all had two hits each and Sele extended her hitting streak to 14 games. She has now had nine multiple-hit games.    

Kesley Jones slammed the door shut on the Piper offense after the third inning. Jones allowed just one earned run and four hits as she picked up her fourth win of the year.

Concordia will now host St. Ben's on Saturday, Apr. 14 at 1 p.m.