A Stranded Split At Dickinson State

DICKINSON, N.D. (3/28/13)—Concordia stranded 15 runners in the second game of its doubleheader at Dickinson State and wound up splitting the two games. The Cobbers claimed the first game 4-2 but then watched the Blue Hawks score a run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 2 and lost 4-3.       

Concordia is now 7-5 on the season and has won four of its last six games. Dickinson State moves to 12-8 for the year and has won seven of its last nine games.  

Concordia scored runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and overcame a 2-0 deficit to take the opener 4-2.  The Cobbers scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to tie the game at 2-2 before adding the winning runs in the top of the seventh frame.

The story of the game was served up by the Concordia pitching staff who only allowed two hits in the seven-inning first game. Jackson Meland started the game, pitched the first 3.0 innings and allowed one hit and the only two runs of the game. Ross Merriman entered in the bottom of the fourth and hurled three innings without giving up a hit or run. He struck out one to pick up his second win of the season. Bryce Feia pitched the seventh, allowed a two-out hit and then walked a batter before getting the final batter of the game to ground out to shortstop. Feia earned his team-leading fourth save of the year.

The Cobber offense put up eight hits and had three players record two-hit games. Kyle Kraemer, batting in the leadoff spot, was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. He doubled home Erik Hiedeman for CC;s first run of the game in the fifth inning. He then scored the second run in the seventh inning. Brian Guler went 2-for-3 and singled home the game-tying run with two outs in the sixth inning. Freshman catcher Tim Carlson was also 2-for-3 and scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning.

The theme for Concordia in the nightcap started in the very first inning when the Cobbers loaded the bases with only one out but came away with just one run. CC would strand the first three of their 15 runners for the game. Concordia stranded at least one runner in every inning and left two runners on in five different innings. The Cobbers were just 6-for-23 with runners in scoring position for the game.

Concordia outhit DSU 13-6 in the second game and 21-8 for the day. The Cobbers had four players with more than one hit in the finale. Freshman catcher Jordan Domine led the way as he went 3-for-5. Guler fashioned out his second two-hit game of the day and finished the twinbill by going 4-for-7. He is now hitting .317 on the year.  Braden Rahman and Phil Kuball also had two hits in Game 2. Rahman was 2-for-4 and drove in two of the team's three runs. He has now multiple-hit games in four of his 11 games on the year. Kuball was also 2-for-4 and has hit safely in seven of the 11 games he has played in 2013.

The Cobbers used five pitchers in the game. Luke Kramer started the game and went the first 3.0 innings. He allowed only one hit and one run while striking out two. Mike Rose pitched the next 3.0 innings and did not give up an earned run. Cooper Wilson pitched the first two outs of the seventh inning before Sam Mattson came on to get the final out with the bases loaded. Cody Rahman pitched the eighth and ninth innings and gave up his first earned run of the season. He struck out the final batter of the eighth inning to get out of a bases-loaded jam before giving up the winning run in the ninth.

Concordia's next regularly-scheduled games are slated for Wednesday, Apr. 3 at St. Olaf in the conference opener for the Cobbers.