MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/15/14)—It took Concordia's bats eight innings to get warmed up enough to start hitting in the Cobbers' split with St. Olaf. CC dropped the opener 6-0 but then used a four-run first inning to beat the Oles 7-4 in the second game.
Concordia had just two hits in the first seven inning of the first game but then came back to get their first conference win of the year in the doubleheader finale. The win in the second games ended a five-game losing skid for the Cobbers. CC is now 6-17 overall and 1-5 in league play. St. Olaf wins for the fourth time in the last eight games and is now 4-18 overall and 4-8 in the MIAC.
The Cobbers were never able to get on track offensively in the first game. The Cobbers had a single hit in the first inning and then didn't have another until the sixth frame. St. Olaf had eight hits in the opener and broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. The game was tied 0-0 heading to the top of the third before the Oles plated five runners in the next three innings of play.
Madison Little and Jessica Speicher had the two hits for the Cobbers. Hilary Rotunda went the distance in the circle and allowed four earned runs and struck out five.
Speicher would be the hitting hero in the second game when she knocked out a three-run triple to center field which gave Concordia a 4-1 lead – a lead they would never relinquish. The Cobbers would go on to add single scores in the third, fifth and sixth innings to pick up the win.
Concordia had five different players record hits in game No.2. Freshman Dominique Giesen was 1-for-3 and scored three runs while driving in a pair. Besides Speicher and Giesen - Paige Beseman, Jenna Esala and Sarah Nelsen also had base knocks in the game.
JoAnna Carlson gave Concordia a solid pitching effort and picked up her team-leading fourth win of the year. She only allowed one earned run and gave up five hits in seven innings of work.
Concordia will have a day off before they start a stretch of three consecutive days with conference doubleheaders. The Cobbers will start their trio of game dates when they play at Macalester on Thursday, Apr. 17 at 4:30 p.m.
