A Split In The Land Of Lincoln

CAROL STREAM, Ill. (3/234/24)---Concordia finished off its pre-MIAC, non-conference schedule by splitting a pair of games against Calvin (Mich.) at Wheaton College in Illinois.

The Cobbers produced their largest margin of victory on the year in the opener as they exploded for 12 runs, and then had the pitching duo of Ashwin Stratton and Alex Rudquist combine for a 6-hit shutout.

Concordia was poised to take the sweep from the Knights in Game 2, but Calvin scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to erase a 6-3 deficit, and the Cobbers lost 7-6.

It is the third split of the year for Concordia who has their overall record move to 6-10. Calvin is now 8-9 on the season.

The good news for the Cobbers on the day is that they posted double-digit hit totals in both games, and outhit the Knights 21-12. CC now has posted at least 10 hits in three straight games, and the 21 hits helped Concordia raise its team batting average to .262 on the year.

The Cobbers opened the double dip by recording single-run innings in the first three frames, and then exploded for a touchdown in the fourth inning. CC would tack on two more runs in the sixth to bring the final score line to 12-0. Concordia sent 13 batter to the plate in the game-changing fourth frame.  

Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe, Thomas Horan and Caiden Kjelstrom all had multiple-hit games for Concordia, while Henkemeyer-Howe, Kjelstrom, Matt Gruber and Carter Mulcahy all had multiple RBIs in Game 1.

Henkemeyer-Howe posted a team-high three hits, went 3-for-4 and drove in a pair. Horan was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, while Kjelstrom went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Mulcahy had the only multiple-RBI hit of the game when he drove in two runs with a single through the left side of the infield in the 7-run fourth.

Stratton set the tone on the hill by keeping Calvin off the board in the first four innings. He retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, and only allowed three hits in his 4.0 innings of work. He struck out four in notching his second win of the season.

Stratton gave way to Rudquist in the fifth, and Rudquist followed suit with 3.0 frames of shutout baseball. He retired eight of the first nine batter he faced, and also gave up three hits to record his first collegiate save.

Rudquist also lowered his team-leading ERA to 1.84.

The Cobbers carries the momentum from the first game into the nightcap by putting up a single run in the first, and then three more in the second to take a 4-0 lead. CC would extend the margin to five runs with a lone run in the top of the fourth.

Calvin started their comeback in the bottom of the fourth when they scored three runs on two hits. Concordia countered with a single run in the sixth, before the Knights turned out the lights with their 4-spot in the bottom of the seventh.

Horan and Kjelstrom both had their second multiple-hit game of the day. Andy Gravdahl also posted two hits and was 2-for-3 with two RBI in the finale.

Jake Christianson and Mulcahy both had hits in each game to extend their hitting streaks. Christianson had a single hit in both games and has now hit safely in six straight. Mulcahy also had one hit in both games and extended his hit streak to five games.

Jacoby Nold started Game 2 for the Cobbers and pitched 4.0 innings. He allowed three runs on three hits and struck out a pair. Dylan Erholtz pitched the fifth and sixth innings and didn't allow a run. He only gave up one hit.     

UP NEXT: The Cobbers were scheduled to play Hope on Saturday, Mar. 25 but the game was cancelled because of the forecast for an all-day rain in the area. Concordia's next schedules games are for Saturday, Apr. 1 against St. John's.