Cobbers Drop Conference Finale

ST. PAUL, Minn. (5/09/21)---Concordia battled league champion St. Thomas through seven innings but then conceded five runs in the eighth and lost 7-1 in the final game of the conference regular season.

The game was also the final contest of the 3-game series between the two teams which began with a doubleheader in Moorhead on Saturday. Concordia is now 15-16 overall and 9-12 in conference play and will finish in seventh place in the MIAC standings.

Concordia nearly got on the board in the first inning when Thomas Horan smacked a 1-out triple to center field. Andy Gravdahl earned a walk in the very next at-bat but then the pair were stranded after a strike out and a ground out.

St. Thomas (23-5, 17-2 MIAC) scored single runs in the third and seventh innings to take a 2-0 lead into the decisive eighth frame.

The Cobbers' other run-scoring chance in the first seven innings came with one out in the in the seventh. Sean McGuire led off the inning with an infield second and then moved up to second when Mason Penske coaxed a 1-out walk. McGuire and Penske would be left on base after another strikeout and ground ball out.

Concordia's run came in the top of the ninth. Gravdahl hit a double to right field to lead off the inning and then moved up to third on a ground ball out. He would also cross home plate when Dawson Leer hit a ground ball to third base.

The Cobbers had four hits in the series finale. The Top 4 in the CC lineup of Matt Gruber, Horan, Gravdahl and McGuire all had one hit each.

Mitch Porter started the game for Concordia and pitched the first 3.0 innings. He didn't allow an earned run and conceded just one run total. He gave up three hits and struck out a pair. Freshman Chrisanto D'Agostino pitched the middle 4.2 innings before Max Boran came on to get the final out in the eighth inning.

ROUND OF 12: This year the MIAC will have a best-of-3 series before the play-in games. The "Round of 12" games will feature the teams who finished from second to 11th place, with the winners of each series advancing to the play-in stage. The Cobbers, by virtue of their 7th-place finish will be paired against No.6 seed St. Olaf. CC will host the Oles in a single, 9-inning game on Saturday, May 15 at 1 p.m. and then travel to Northfield for the second game – and third if necessary.      

UP NEXT: Concordia will finish off the regular season when they play a non-conference game at NDSU on Monday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m.  

RECAP SPONSOR: Today's recap sponsor is Red River Trails. Cobber athletics would like to thank Red River Trails for their continued support of Concordia student/athletes.