Bats Arrive On Time In Florida Opener

CLERMONT, Fla. (3/01/20)---The good news for Concordia is that the airlines didn't lose the bat bag on the trip to Florida. The Cobbers, and their bats, arrived safely in the Sunshine State and split their opening set of games on Sunday.

Concordia hammered out 16 runs and 19 hits in the first two games of their spring training trip as they beat Northern Vermont-Johnson 12-4 in five innings and lost to St. Joseph's (N.Y.) 10-4.

The Cobber offense was led the top 2 hitters in the order. Sophomore Maria Pake and freshman Molly Wilde were the only two CC players to have hits in both games as the pair were a combined 8-for-12 and drove in half of the team's runs. In the first game Pake and Wilde went 6-for-7, had four extra-base hits, scored four times and drove in five runs.

Freshman Amber Taylor earned the lone win in the circle on the day. She tossed a complete-game in the opener to record her first collegiate victory.

GAME 1
Both teams scored a run in each of the first three innings of play but it was the Cobbers' ability to put up the multiple-run inning that proved to be the difference in the game. Northern Vermont-Johnson scored single runs in the first free frames but it paled in comparison to Concordia's 2-run first, 3-run second and 5-run third. CC would finish off Game 1 in Florida with single runs in the fourth and fifth as they scored in each of the five innings.

After the Badgers started the game with a 1-0 lead, Pake started the 15-hit game by tripling to left field. She would score on a Wilde ground out and then Elizabeth Asp doubled to left field and also scored on a ground out.

The Cobbers had three runs on four hits in the second. The big hits in the frame were doubles by Wilde and Asp while Emma Redlin, Wilde and Asp combined for the three RBI.

The game was put to bed in the third inning when Concordia plated five runs on five hits. Like the second, the Cobbers didn't have a multiple-hit RBI in the inning. Ashley Hendrickson got the scoring spree started when she singled home Kate Wensloff who started the inning off with a walk.

Redlin drove in her second run in as many innings with a ground ball before Pake and Wilde closed the deal with RBI hits.

The Cobbers had six players with multiple-hit games in the first game of the day. Pake went 4-for-4 with a double and triple and three runs scored from the leadoff spot. Wilde backer her up with a 2-fo3-3 game with two doubles and three RBI. Asp was 2-for-3 in the No.3 spot which gave the top 3 hitters in the CC order an. 800 batting average for the game.

Wensloff had her third multiple-hit game of the year as she went 2-for-3 and scored two runs. Left fielder Callie Ahlgren and right fielder Riley Irmen were both 2-for-3 and each scored two runs. The corner outfielders paired with Wilde in senter field to put up a 6-for-9 outfield hitting performance.

GAME 2
The second game was also determined by multiple-run innings but this time it was the Cobbers' opponent who had the big frames.

Concordia took a 3-1 lead in the top of the second before St. Joseph's responded with five runs in the bottom half. They also had 2-run fourth on their way to a 10-run game.

The Cobbers scored four runs on four hits. The second inning featured Concordia scoring three runs on only one hit and taking advantage of three walks and a wild pitch. Pake had the only hit in the frame as she drove in two runs with a 2-out double to center field.

Concordia scored its other run in the fourth inning when Wilde singled to left field which brought home Caitlin Culleton who doubled to center with one out.

Pake, Wilde, Eroltz and Culleton accounted for the four hits for the Cobbers.

Megan Gavin started the game and went the first 4.0 innings. She allowed nine runs but only two were earned as Concordia committed five errors in the field. Gavin struck out six and gave up six hits.

Freshman Hannah Wilke stepped into the circle for her first collegiate pitching appearance. She went the final 2.0 innings, gave up three hits and one run and struck out one.       

UP NEXT:  Concordia keep their busy Florida schedule going when they play another two games on Sunday, Mar. 1 The Cobbers will face Elizabethtown (Pa.) at 9:15 a.m. (cst) and then face Loras (Iowa) at 3 p.m.