Opening Day And A 100-Hit Milestone

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (3/05/23)---There is nothing better than opening day in baseball, and senior Matt Gruber made it extra special for the Cobbers during their first two games in Florida.

Gruber went 2-for-3 in the Cobbers' 12-2 win over Gwynedd Mercy in the first game of the year to become the 28th player in program history to reach the 100-hit milestone for a career. Gruber entered 2023 with 98 hits, and then had a single in the second inning and a single through the right side of the infield in the fourth frame to etch his name in the Concordia record book.   

Grubers' two hits were a part of an 18-hit attack for the Cobbers in Game 1 against the Griffins.

Concordia couldn't duplicate the high-octane offense in the second game, came up with only four hits and fell 7-2 to Buena Vista.   

The opener started slowly for the Cobbers as they allowed a pair of runs to Gwynedd Mercy in the bottom of the first. From that point forward, it was all Concordia.

Concordia racked up six runs on six hits in the third inning, and then added a double safety in the fourth frame on six more base knocks. The Cobbers completed the score line with single runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.

The Cobbers had three doubles in their 18-hit attack. Senior Max Boran led all players with three hits. He went 3-for-3 with one of the three 2-baggers.

Besides Gruber, CC had six other players with two hits in the game. Thomas Horan, Andy Gravdahl and Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe all went 2-for-5 with two runs scored from the No.1, 2 and 4 spots in the order. Gravdahl and Henkemeyer also had two RBI.

Wyatt Gunkel, Jake Christianson and Justin Kloster were the other members of the 2-hit list for CC. Christianson also has drove in a pair of runs.

Senior Ashwin Stratton was the opening-game starter and pitched a solid 5.0 innings. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter, while scattering five hits to record his fifth career win. Stratton's seven Ks tied his career-best mark.

The Cobbers couldn't duplicate their come-from-behind storyline in the second game against Buena Vista. CC allowed four runs in the second, and fell behind 5-0 before rallying for two runs in the fourth. The Beavers would match those two scores in the top of the fifth to end the scoring at 7-2.

Christianson and Gravdahl both ran their hit streaks to two games to start the year. Christianson had a team-high two hits as he went 2-for-3.

Carter Mulcahy got his first start of the year behind the plate and was 1-for-4. He drove in both of the Cobbers' runs with a two-out double in the fourth.

Concordia used five pitchers in the game. Jacoby Nold went the first 5.2 innings and allowed seven runs, but only four were earned. He also fanned a career-high eight batters.

Mason Klevgaard, Kyle Cluff, Alex Rudquist and Gabe Duncan split the final 3.1 innings and didn't allow a hit.

UP NEXT: Concordia will have the day off on Monday before resuming play with a doubleheader against Husson (Maine) on Tuesday, Mar. 7 at 2:30 p.m.

COBBER ALL-TIME HIT LEADERS: (as of March 5, 2023)
1. 162 - Chris Coste – 1993-95
2. 158 - Phil Kuball - 2013-16
3. 148 - Chad Felstul - 1999-02
4. 147 - Michael Olson - 2011-14
5. 140 - Kyle Johnson - 2006-09
6. 139 – Andy Gravdahl – 2018-13
T7. 137 - Jake Krause - 2007-10
T7. 137 - Ryan Hebrink - 2001-04
T9. 136 - Derek Dormanen - 2000-03
T9. 136 - Chris Klabo - 2004-07
T9. 136 – Cody Rahman – 2013-17
T12. 134 - Tim Carlson - 2013-16  
T12. 134 - Kent Kuball – 1982-85
14. 130 - Devin Johnson - 2013-15
15. 129 – Matt Nustad – 1998-01
T16. 120 - Michael Carlson - 2008-11
T16. 120 – Scott Bjerke – 1987-90
T16. 120 – Mark Nelson – 1982-84
19. 117 - Braden Rahman – 2011-14
T20. 116 – Chad Johnson – 2015-18
T20. 116 – Turner Storm – 2015-18
T22. 114 – Clayton Horgen – 1997-00
T22 114 – Scott DeBrito – 1995-97
24. 113 - B.Schumacher - 2004-06
25. 106 – Jordan Domine – 2013-16
T26. 102 - Dan Wackler - 2008-11
T26. 102 – Greg Toivonen – 1984-86
28. 100 – Matt Gruber – 2019-23