14 Good Innings, 2 Not So Good Leads To Split With Scholastica

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/21/22)---Concordia was in complete control for the first 14 innings against St. Scholastica. If the doubleheader was a pair of 7-inning contests, the Cobbers would have walked away with a pair of shutout wins. Unfortunately for CC, the second game of MIAC DHs go nine innings and Concordia had to settle for a split with the Saints in their first action in 10 days.

Concordia (9-8, 4-4 MIAC) rolled to a 9-0 win in the opener, and held a 2-0 lead in Game 2 when St. Scholastica struck for five runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth to take the nightcap 6-2.

The three storylines of the first game were the second inning, the bat of Andy Gravdahl and the arm of Ashwin Stratton.

The Cobbers put up a 7-spot in the second inning thanks to a grand slam from Gravdahl, and Stratton only allowed three hits on his way to a complete-game shutout.

Gravdahl's home run in the second was one of his three hits in the opener as he was only a double shy of a cycle.

Concordia scored a single run in the first when Gravdahl came through with his fifth triple of the year and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe.

Gravdahl would then give Stratton, and the Cobbers, plenty of breathing room when he hit a 1-out long ball with the bases full that turned a 2-0 game into a 6-0 cruise. Henkemyer-Howe then showed off his cheetah-like speed when he hit a triple to the gap in right-center that scored Matt Gruber from first.

Concordia finished off the scoring with a lone run in the fifth. Once again it was Gravdahl who came through with the big hit. He had a single to center that scored Jake Christianson after Christianson led off the inning with a walk.

Stratton gave up a double to the very first batter of the game, but then picked the runner off second base. He then cruised through the final 6.2 innings with only giving up two more hits. Stratton only walked one batter as he picked up his team-leading third win of the year.

The complete game was Stratton's first of the season, and he lowered his season ERA to 3.10. He has only allowed four walks in 29.0 innings pitched and has a 1.21 WHIP.    

The Cobbers scored single runs in the third and fourth innings, and appeared headed for the sweep, before St. Scholastica struck for six runs in the final two frames.

Thomas Horan came through with a clutch 2-out single that plated Christianson after Christianson laid down a perfect bunt for CC's first hit of the game.

Henkemeyer-Howe was responsible for the second run. He had a 1-out single in the fourth and then moved up to third on a pair of wild pitches. Henkemeyer-Howe scored on a 2-out, infield error from the bat of Wyatt Gunkel.

Mitch Porter got the start in Game 2 and battled through 5.0 innings. He gave up four hits and two walks, but didn't allow a run as he kept the Saints from scoring when they put multiple runners on base.

Luke Levasseur pitched the next 2.0 innings and was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs on four hits. Dylan Inniger and Kyle Cluff pitched 1.0 innings each to finish off Game 2.

St. Scholastica (8-12, 3-5 MIAC) outhit Concordia 10-5 in the second game. The Cobbers had five different players post one hit each. Horan, Gravdahl, Gruber, Henkemyer-Howe and Christianson all posted hits to record a base knock in both games.               
   
UP NEXT: Concordia will play at St. Olaf on Saturday, Apr. 23 before returning home to host Gustavus on Tuesday, Apr. 26.