Bats Thaw And Explode To Gain Split With Alma

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (2/24/14)—Concordia's bats finally thawed out from the Fargo-Moorhead polar vortex in the third game of their spring break trip to Florida as they exploded for 11 hits and 14 runs and gained a split with Alma (Mich.).

The Cobbers left 11 runners on base in the opener against the Scots and lost 6-2 and then used a nine-run third inning in the nightcap to come away with a 14-3 victory. CC is now 1-2 on the year. Alma loses for the first time in 2014 and is now 3-1.

The tone for the opener was set in the first two innings when Concordia left the bases loaded and scored a pair of runs. That would be all the scoring for the Cobbers in the first game. CC had single hits in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Alma got single runs in the second and third and then broke open a 2-2 tie with three runs in the fourth.

Phil Kuball, Braden Rahman and Jordan Gefroh all had two hits to pace Concordia's eight-hit attack.

The second game was all Concordia. The Cobbers plated a single run in the first frame when Rahman singled home Kuball after Kuball singled and then stole second.

Holding a 1-0 lead heading into the decisive third inning, CC scorched the Scots for nine runs on six hits. The Cobbers sent 15 batters to the plate in the inning. Leadoff hitter Kyle Kraemer scored twice in the inning and Jordan Domine had a pair of RBI on a single.

Concordia finished off the scoring in the finale when they scored four runs on two hits in the fifth inning. The big hit in the fifth came off the bat of Devin Johnson who doubled to right field with the bases loaded to plate all three CC base runners.

Johnson finished the second game by going 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Kuball posted his second multiple-hit game of the day. After going 2-for-3 in the opener, he proceeded to go 3-for-4 with three runs scored in the nightcap. His five-hit doubleheader pushes him into the team lead in hits (7) and batting average (.583).

Shawn Krueger started the second game for Concordia and went five scoreless innings to pick up the first win of the season. He only allowed two hits and struck out three in his first appearance of the season.  Justin Beach and Ross Merriman followed Krueger and both hurlers pitched a single inning.

Concordia will play the fourth, of their eight games in Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 24 when they face Franklin at 10:30 a.m.