MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/22/15)—The storyline remained the same for Concordia as they received great pitching in both games, but couldn't come up with a key hit and lost two close games. The Cobbers lost 3-1 and 3-2 in eight innings to St. Catherine who is fighting for a playoff spot.
Concordia has now lost seven straight games by three of fewer runs. All seven have come against conference teams. CC is now 9-22 overall and 3-17 in league play. Of those 17 MIAC losses, 12 have been by four or fewer runs.
St. Catherine, the surprise team of the MIAC this season, wins for the ninth time in the last 10 games and moves to 26-10 overall and 13-7 overall.
The Cobbers had the lead courtesy of runs in the first inning in both games. Concordia took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first of the opener and held that lead until the third inning. CC then had a 2-0 lead in the finale and held a lead until the top of the sixth frame.
Hillary Rotunda and Abigail Haraldson held St. Catherine to six total runs and 16 hits on the day. The Wildcats were averaging almost seven runs a game and hitting .331 for the season coming into the twinbill.
Rotunda gave up three runs on 10 hits and struck out four in the opener and then Haraldson allowed three runs and six hits while striking out seven in game 2. Rotunda now has a 3.56 season ERA while Haraldson is right behind at 3.62. Both pitchers have over 70 strikeouts on the season.
Concordia scored their lone run in game 1 when Ashley Tibbetts' triple to right field scored Kayla Nack who was aboard after a two-out single.
The Cobbers had six hits in the first game. Madison Little continued her hot streak at home. She was 2-for-4 in the opener after coming into the game hitting .364 at home.
The two runs in the first inning of the second game came courtesy of two hits – the biggest being a two-run single off the bat of Devonie Smith. Smith's base knock to right field plated Nack and Gabby Gardner.
Concordia outhit the Wildcats 10-6 in the second game. Smith and junior outfielder Kellie Morehouse were both 3-for-4 in the game. Little, Nack Tibbetts and Dominique Giesen had the other base hits for the Cobbers.
Little has now hit safely in 11 of the past 14 games. She has a team-best .359 batting average. Tibbetts has hit safely in four of the past seven games and is now hitting .287.
Concordia will get right back on the diamond when they play a non-conference doubleheader at Minn.-Morris on Thursday, Apr. 23 at 3 p.m.
