Finnigan Honored On Senior Celebration Day

MOORHEAD, Minn. (5/04/24)---Concordia honored lone senior Karissa Finnigan and her parents in between games of its doubleheader against St. Olaf as part of the annual Senior Celebration Day.

The Cobbers couldn't silence the playoff-bound Oles' offense in the two games and lost 15-3 and 8-3. Concordia was within two runs heading into the final three innings of both games, but clutch hitting by St. Olaf helped them pull away down the stretch to earn the sweep.

Game 1: Concordia 3, St. Olaf 15
The Cobbers fell behind 4-0 after the first innings but then outscored the Oles 3-0 in the middle four frames before giving up 11 runs in the sixth and seventh innings and lost 15-3.

Finnigan shrugged off the 4-run first and rebounded to hold St. Olaf to five hits over the next four innings of play. She didn't allow a runner to get past second base in that stretch.

Concordia fought its way back to within a run at 4-3 by scoring two runs in the second inning and one in the fifth.

Kailee Falconer and Emma Bowman had the RBI in the second inning. Danielle Lyon and Gabriella Castro scored the runs for CC after Lyon led off the inning with a double and Castro reached on a walk in the very next at-bat.

The Cobbers scored their third run of the game when Gabby Brown brought home Finnigan with a sacrifice fly after Finnigan hammered a triple down the right-field line.

Finnigan, Lyon and catcher Kate Gulbranson all had two hits in the opener to account for six of CC's eight base knocks. Lyon and Castro had doubles with Finnigan picking up her first career triple.

Finnigan went the first 5.2 innings in the circle before giving way to Lexi Burke, who went 1.0 innings. Lauren Staples finished off the final out in the seventh.

Game 2: Concordia 3, St. Olaf 8
The second game was a carbon copy of the first with the Cobbers staying close until the final three innings of play. The crooked-number inning cost Concordia as the Oles scored two runs in the third, three in the fifth and two more in the seventh.

First-year infielder Maddie Marvel brought home the Cobbers' first run in the second inning when she singled down the left-field line which plated Mallory Leitner.

Concordia's 2-run seventh inning came courtesy of the first career home run from Reese Hauck. She laced a line drive over the center-field fence that scored Lyon after Lyon came through with her second 2-bagger of the day.

The Cobbers had eight hits in Game 2. Falconer, Lyon and Marvel had multiple-hit games for CC.

Leitner started the finale in the circle for the Cobbers, went 4.2 innings and struck out a pair. Staples ended the game for the second straight contest by pitching the final 2.1 innings. She allowed three hits and a pair of earned runs.

UP NEXT: Concordia will finish off the 2024 season when they host Carleton on Monday, May 6 at 3:30 p.m.