Quality Pitching Shines In Home Finale

MOORHEAD, Minn. (5/01/18)---Concordia got a pair of quality starts from pitchers Cole Christensen and Alex Erickson but couldn't come up with a multiple-run inning and lost 4-1, 2-1 to second-place Bethel.

Christensen and Erickson both went 5.0 innings in their starts and gave the Cobbers a chance to come away with a win. Christensen allowed three runs on six hits in the opener while Erickson conceded two runs on four hits against the top hitting team in the MIAC.

The two losses snap a streak of two straight doubleheader splits for Concordia. CC is now 14-17 overall and 7-9 in conference play and remain locked into the sixth, and final, spot for the conference playoffs. Bethel wins for the eighth time in the last nine games and improves their MIAC best win total to 25. BU is now 25-7 in all games and 12-4 in league play.

The opener was a one-run affair until the fifth inning when the Royals plated a single run and then added an insurance run in the seventh.

The Cobbers fell behind 2-0 before getting their lone run in the third. Austin Ver Steeg manufactured Concordia's run with his speed. He lined a two-out single through the left side of the infield and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on the same play as the Bethel catcher struggled to find the ball. The catcher then threw the ball to third base to try and stop Ver Steeg from advancing. His throw then tailed down the left field line and Ver Steeg got up and sprinted home to bring the score to 2-1.

Concordia's best chance to tie the game came in the seventh when they loaded the bases with a two-out rally but couldn't come up with a game-winning hit.

The Cobbers had four hits in Game 1 with catcher Alec Sames leading the way with two hits and a double in the seventh.

Erickson took control of the second game as he shut down the Royals for the first four innings. Bethel was able to finally scratch across a pair of runs in the fifth.  

Concordia countered with a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Mason Penske opened the frame with a single through the right side of the infield. He scored when Grant Toivonen laced a two-out double to left center.

Freshman pitcher Sean McGuire entered the game in the sixth and didn't allow a run in 2.0 innings. He only allowed two hits and struck two in his third appearance of the year.

Penske went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Game 2. Toivonen had the other base knock for CC.

POISED PENSKE: Freshman Mason Penske has showed poise at the plate in his first collegiate season. He now leads the team with a .315 batting average. He has hit safely in five of the past seven games he has played and has reached safely in five straight games.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will hope to lock up a spot in the six-team conference tournament when they head out on the road for a pair of league doubleheaders. The Cobbers will play at Carleton on Saturday, May 5 and then travel to St. Paul to square off against Macalester on Monday, May 7. The Knights are 0-14 in league play while the Scots are just above CC in the standings with a 9-7 MIAC mark.