Another Wild Walkoff At The Buck

MOORHEAD, Minn. (5/05/22)---Make it three walkoff wins in four games. Concordia scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth in Game 2 against Carleton, rallied from a 13-12 deficit to post a 14-13 walkoff victory and earned a split in the series with the Knights.

The walkoff win in the finale keeps Concordia in fourth place in the MIAC standings with four games left in the regular season. Only the Top 4 teams make the conference tournament which starts on May 12.

The Cobbers are now 9-7 in conference play and has a 1.0 game lead over St. Olaf and St. Scholastica for the fourth, and final, spot in the MIAC playoffs.

Any momentum Concordia had entering Thursday, after sweeping St. Mary's with two walkoff wins on Wednesday, was put out to sea after Carleton scored a single run in the first inning of Game 1. They would add another run in the third and then blow the game open with a 5-spot in the fourth.

The Cobber offense was held to a single hit through the first six innings, and finally got on the board in the seventh when pinch hitter Canaan Fagerland singled up the middle to score Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe.

Concordia used three pitchers in Game 1 who had a combined total of 4.2 innings pitched on the year. Dylan Erholtz got his first college start on the hill, went the first 3,1 innings and allowed five runs. Gabe Duncan, pitching in his second straight game, went 2.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits and struck out two. Skylar Timmer, who was making his college debut, gave up a single run in his 1.0 innings pitched as he finished off the seventh inning.

The second game had a little bit of everything. The teams combined for 27 runs, 32 hits and eight errors. It also featured four lead changes and seven multiple-run half innings. While the first game took less than 90 minutes to play, Game 2 was a 3-hour special.

The Cobbers trailed early after the Knights posted four runs in the second. CC would respond with the first 5-spot of the game in third. Matt Gruber and Fagerland had the only RBI of the inning as Concordia plated the five runs on only two hits and were helped out by two Carleton errors.

Concordia then added two runs in the fourth to take a 7-4 lead, a single score in the sixth to push the lead back to three runs and then added six more runs in the final three frames.

The Cobbers led 12-8 entering the top of the ninth and then had the rug pulled out from underneath them when Carleton scored five times to take a 13-12 lead.

Concordia responded with another improbable comeback in the final half inning of play. Thomas Horan started the rally when he was hit by a pitch. Andy Gravdahl followed with a single to right field to put the winning run on first base. Gruber loaded the bases when he coaxed a 5-pitch walk. Wyatt Gunkel then hit a slow roller in the infield that scored Horan to tie the game at 13-13 and advance Gravdahl to third base. Carter Mulcahy came on as a pinch hitter and won the game with a sacrifice fly to right field.

The Cobbers had three players finish the finale with at least three hits. Gravdahl went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI from the No.2 spot in the order. Jake Christianson was 3-for-4 with wo runs scored, and freshman David Dorsey collected his first three collegiate hits and went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

Due to the tough spring schedule, and the fact that they are playing 10 games in eight fays, the Cobbers once again had to use pitchers without a lot of experience. Ethan Beyer got his first collegiate start and went 2.0 innings. Mason Klevgaard followed for 2.0 innings, Bryan Weideman posted the longest distance with 3.0 innings, Max Boran pitched the eighth inning and then Kyle Cluff was the improbable winner after pitching the ninth. Cluff allowed five runs but none were earned.

DON'T RUB IT: Another whacky element on Thursday was the fact that the two pitching staffs combined for 11 hit by pitches. Horan now leads the team with five beanings. In case you were wondering, the Cobber single season record for getting plunked is 19. Yes, you read that correctly. K.C. Solum got hit 19 times during the 2004 season.             

STREAKS ARE ALIVE: Gravdahl extended his season-best hitting streak to 14 games after he went a combined 5-for-7 on the day. Horan reached base in both games and upped his on-base streak to 37 games. Gruber also reached base safely in both games and his on-base streak is at 31 games.

THE RACE IS ON: Gravdahl's 5-hit day tightened the Cobber batting race. He is now hitting .416 on the year which is only .05 percentage points behind Henkemeyer-Howe who was 0-for-2 in the opener, and then had to sit out the finale after getting hit by a pitch in the arm.   

WITH A NAME LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TO PLAY BALL AT CONCORDIA: Freshman infielder/outfielder Jake Christianson (no relation to the CC football legend) had a hit in both games and went 4-for-7 on the day. Christianson has four multiple-hit games in his last eight contests and is hitting .344 during that stretch, and has upped his season average to .288 on the year. Better yet, he is now hitting .333 at home in the shadow of Jake Christiansen Stadium.                             

UP NEXT: Concordia will travel to Arden Hills to take on league-leading Bethel on Saturday, May 7 at 1 p.m. The Cobbers will finish off the regular season by hosting Gustavus on Sunday, May 8 at 1 p.m.