Opening Day Split

CLERMONT, Fla. (2/25/18)----Concordia started the 2018 with a bang as they scored seven runs in the very first inning of their very first game of the year and rolled to an 8-5 win in the season opener against Alma (Mich.) in Clermont, Fla.

The Cobbers then had their bats go cold in the second game and dropped a 7-0 decision against Hanover (Ind.)

Abby Haraldson pitched a complete game to get the win in the opener. The seven innings of work represent her first game action since last year's spring break trip where she suffered a lower leg injury that knocked her out for the remainder of the season.

Haraldson gave up 10 hits in the game and struck out four. She had a 1-2-3 inning in the second and fifth innings.

Nicole Johannes and Kayla Nack led the way for the Concordia offense against Alma. Johannes went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. She also clouted the team's first round tripper of the year as she hammered a pitch over the left field wall in the fifth inning to put the Cobbers up 8-3.

Nack went 2-for-4 and also drove in a run when she singled in the seven-run first inning where CC sent 11 hitters to the plate.

Freshman Megan Gavin had the other Cobber hit in the game as she collected her first collegiate hit in the second inning. She also walked in the first frame and came around to score her first collegiate run.

The second game against Hanover was a typical spring trip game with nerves, miscues and teams trying to get used to defensive rotations in the field.

The Cobbers and Panthers both had a lone single through three innings of play but Concordia found themselves down 3-0 courtesy of a three-run first inning which saw two walks, two hit batsmen and a trio of wild pitches.

Freshman Brynn Sundgaard relieved Gavin, who was making her first collegiate start, after seven batters in the opening inning. Sundgaard then allowed only three hits and one earned run in the next 4.2 innings of play. Gavin then finished out the game and only allowed one hit and one run in the final two innings of play.

Concordia had only two hits in the second game. Sydney Roberts put up her first base knock of the year with a leadoff single in the third inning and then Madi Veith singled down the left field line with one out in the bottom of the seventh.

JOHANNES JACK: Junior Nicole Johannes equaled her single season home run career mark with her long ball in the first game. Johannes had a single dinger in each of her freshman and sophomore seasons.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will continue with their two-game-a-day schedule on Monday, Feb. 26 when they play Eastern (Pa.) at 4:30 p.m. and Alverno (Wis.) at 6:30.