A Little Bit Of History

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/14/16)—On a day where the biggest highlight came on offense,Concordia was unable to come up with a run in 14 innings and lost a pair of 3-0 decisions to Bethel.

Cobber junior Madison Little entered the day needing two hits to reach the 100-hit milestone and went 3-for-4 in the second game to become the 15th player in program history to surpass the historic hit plateau. Little now has 101 hits in her three-plus year career in maroon and gold and is now in the Ni.14 spot on the school's all-time hit list.

Little's three hits in Game 2 were a part of an 11-hit attack on the day for Concordia but the Cobbers went 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position in the doubleheader including 0-for-12 inthe finale. CC was also 2-for-20 with runners on base in the two games.

The two losses drop Concordia's overall record to 14-10 on the year. CC is now 1-5 in the MIAC. Bethel wins for their fourth straight game and is now 10-12 in all games and 5-3 in league play.

The first game was won on one swing of the bat in the third inning. The Royals started the inning with a single and walk and then the third hitter in the inning hit a home run over the right centerfield fence to provide the only scoring in the game.

Cobber pitcher Abigail Haraldson didn't allow a runner to get past second base after the third inning and retired eight of the final 10 hitters she faced.

Haraldson allowed five hits in the game and struck out nine. She held the Royals to a .143 average with runners in scoring position and a .125 mark with two outs in the inning.

Concordia's best chance to score came in the seventh inning when they put runners on first and third with two outs but a ground out to the pitcher ended the game.

CC had four hits in Game 1. Kayla Nack went 2-for-3 while Devonie Smith and Mackenzie McCloud had one hit each.

The long ball played a huge part in the second game. Bethel led off the game with a home run and then added a second round tripper in the fifth frame to push the lead to 2-0.

Concordia outhit the Royals 7-6 in the nightcap. The Cobbers had a runner on second base in each of the first four innings but couldn't bring the runner home. In the third and fourth frames theyhad a runner on second with no outs but couldn't score.

Little made her history in the third inning when Mackenzie Jensen led off the inning with a single down the left field line and then Little pushed a bunt past the pitcher to collect her 100th career hit.

Maddie Little Career Hit No.100

Little would add a third hit in the game when she singled in the seventh inning. CC once again had the tying run at the plate in the final inning but couldn't come up with the clutch hit.

Haraldson started the second game as well and went the first six innings. She gave up two runs, five hits and struck out five.

Kali Covert pitched the ninth inning for CC and gave up an unearned run and only one hit.

Nack had her second straight multiple-hit game. She had a pair of doubles and went 2-for-3.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
The last player in Cobber history to reach the 100-hit mark was Ashley Tibbetts who graduated last spring and finished with 102 career hits. Little now has 101 hits. Unfortunately Little had her streak of reaching base safely come to an end in the opener. Little had reached base in 17 straight games but then went 0-for-3 in Game 1. Little is now hitting .372 on the year.

COBBER CAREER HIT LIST
1. 162 - Kelli Niess - 2004-07
2. 153 - Kaia Sele - 2010-13
3. 133 - Cindy Frey - 1997-00
4. 132 - Jill Pontius - 1999-02
5. 130 - Kathy Braun - 1999-02
6. 124 - Stacey Hoien - 1993-96
7. 119 - Heidi Mueller - 1996-99
8. 114 - Kesley Jones - 2009-12
9. 113 - Joelle Link - 2010-13
10. 109 - Mandy Pearson - 2002-05
11. 108 - Amanda Michaelson - 2006-09
12. 102 - Ashley Tibbetts - 2012-15
13. 102 - Kelly Holecek - 1994-97
14. 101 - Madison Little - 2014-16
15. 100 - Maddie Haroldson - 2007-10

BIG MACK ATTACK
Sophomore Mackenzie McCloud had a single hit in each game for the second straight day. She has now hit safely in 12 straight games which is the longest hit streak by any CC player this season. The program record for consecutive games with a hit is 18 set by assistant coach Kaia Sele. McCloud leads the team in hitting with a .379 average.

SHE'S GOT THE NACK
Sophomore Kayla Nack went 4-for-6 on the day and has hit safely in her last four games. She is 6-for-12 in that stretch and has three doubles. Nack is hitting .33 on the year.

THEY K-eep ADDING UP
Junior pitcher Abby Haraldson continues her trek to the single-season strikeout record. Haraldson had 14 K's in the two games against the Royals and now has 131 strikeouts for the year. The program record is 152. Haraldson continues to lead the MIAC in strikeouts.

WHAT'S NEXT
Concordia will have a road/home conference double dip over the weekend. The Cobbers will play at nationally ranked St. Thomas on Saturday and then return home to host Gustavus on Sunday.