Different Location But The Song Remains The Same

FARGO, N.D. (3/21/15)—The location might have changes but the song remains the same for Concordia as they posted a pair of double-digit hit games, got quality starting pitching and came away with two more wins.

The Cobbers had 12 hits in the opener against Nebraska Wesleyan and added 10 more in the second game and swept the Prairie Wolves 9-3 and 5-0 in Lincoln, Neb.   

Concordia has now won four straight and 10 of its first 11 games of the season. The 10-1 start is the best 11-game beginning since the 1995 season when the Cobbers started the year 12-0 and went on to win the MIAC regular-season championship.

The Cobbers got a pair of complete-game wins from their two starting pitchers. No.1 starter Ross Merriman didn't allow an earned run, just six hits and struck out three in the 9-3 win in the first game. He is now 3-0 on the season and has a 1.06 ERA.

As good as Merriman's performance in the opener was, junior Kyle Connelly was even more dominant in the finale. Connelly allowed just one hit and didn't walk a batter as he shutout Nebraska Wesleyan 5-0. Connelly's bid at a no-hitter was broken up in the sixth inning. Connelly retired the first 12 batters he faced before a Prairie Wolf batter reached base on an error in the fifth. He then set down five straight before giving up a two-out double in the sixth.

The win was Connelly's second of the year and he dropped his season ERA from in the 8's to 4.76.

Concordia had one big hit in the first game and then used their patented double attack in the second game.

Junior Cody Rahman finished off the opening-game victory when he blasted a grand slam homer in the sixth inning that turned a 5-3 nail-biter into a comfortable 9-3 lead.  The long ball was Rahman's first collegiate round tripper.

Rahman was one of two CC hitters who had more than one hit in the first game. Concordia had all nine players in the batting order come away with one hit and had 12 total hits in the win.

Jordan Domine was 3-for-4 in the opener.

The Cobbers had 10 hits in the nightcap and have now had at least 10 hits in all 11 games this season.

Concordia had three doubles in the second game and two of the three came around to score. CC has 39 doubles on the year which is more than any other team in the MIAC. The Cobbers have had at least one double in 10 of their first 11 games of the year.

The Cobbers scored once in the opening frame, added two more in the fourth and then added single score innings in the fifth and seventh.

Domine had his second consecutive multi-hit game as he went 2-for-4. Tim Carlson was 2-for-3 and scored two of the team's five runs.

Phil Kuball and Aaron Green had a single hit in each game and extended their hitting streaks to 11 games. Nick Bornhauser also had a single hit on both contests and has hit safely in all 10 games he has played this season. Bornhauser leads the team in hitting with a .571 average.

Concordia and Nebraska Wesleyan will finish off their four-game weekend when they play a doubleheader on Sunday, Mar. 22 starting at noon.