Hit King Keys Second Consecutive Conference Sweep

DULUTH, Minn. (4/12/23)---It was a pretty good day at the ol' ballpark for the Cobbers on Wednesday. Concordia kept up their recent offensive onslaught in their 13-2, 14-5 sweep at St. Scholastica 13-2, and senior Andy Gravdahl posted a pair of 3-hit games to become the new career hit leader for the Cobbers.

The two wins give Concordia consecutive conference sweeps. In those four games, the Cobbers have scored a combined 53 runs and racked up 62 hits. CC is now 4-2 in the MIAC and 10-12 in all games.

Gravdahl became the new Cobber Hit King in the first inning of the second game when he beat out a ground ball that was fielded by the Saints' shortstop behind second base.

Gravdahl entered the game with 159 career hits, and trailed head coach Chris Coste who amassed 162 hits from 1993-95. Gravdahl led the Concordia offense in the opener by going 3-for-5. His triple in the seventh inning of Game 1 tied Coste, and then he stood atop the Cobber mountain with the base knock in the first frame of Game 2.

The Cobbers had four big innings in Duluth. The first of the four came in the sixth inning of the opener. CC was clinging to a 4-2 lead, and then exploded for seven runs on six hits in the sixth. The 7-run sixth put the game to bed and helped Concordia cruise to the 11-run win.

Concordia outhit Scholastica 15-8 in the first game. The Cobbers had six different players post multiple-hit games. Besides Gravdahl's three base knocks, Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe continued his hot streak by going 3-for-5. He also drove in a career-high five runs.

Of Gravdahl's three hits in the opener, two were triples. He now has an MIAC-best four 3-baggers for the year and his Cobber career-record triple total now stands at 18.    

Caiden Kjelstrom, David Dorsey, Justin Kloster and Wyatt Gunkel all had 2-hit games for CC.

Ashwin Stratton started the game for the Cobbers and went the first 5.0 innings. He allowed two runs in the third inning, but then retired seven of the final nine batters he faced to record his team-leading third win of the year.

Luke Levasseur pitched out of a jam in the sixth to post a scoreless outing. Ethan Beyer finished off the first win by hurling a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

The second game was more of the same for Concordia as they turned a close contest into a runaway midway through the 9-inning affair. The Cobbers posted their second 16-hit game in the last three days to push their win streak to four.

St. Scholastica (3-18, 1-7 MIAC) broke out on top with a single run in the second inning. Concordia then put up the first of their three big-run innings in the fourth. CC would score three times to take a 3-1 lead. The Cobbers eventually turned a 4-2 lead into the rout by scoring four runs in the seventh and six in the ninth.

Gravdahl was joined by Matt Gruber in the 3-hit club. Gravdahl had his second straight 3-for-5 game, while Gruber was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Gravdahl has now posted four straight 3-hit games. He is 12-for-19 (.632) during that stretch. His record-breaking week has allowed him to take the team lead in hitting and he is now hitting .363 on the year.    

Henkemeyer-Howe and Dorsey collected their second straight multiple-hit games. Henkemeyer-Howe was 2-for-4 and Dorsey went 2-for-5 with three RBI.

Henkemeyer-Howe has been on fire since conference play started. He has recorded multiple-hit games in all six MIAC contests. His .565 average in conference play leads all league players. 

Concordia used three pitchers in the finale. Jacoby Nold went 7.0 innings to collect his second win of the year. He struck out four and scattered 12 hits.

Levasseur made his second appearance of the day and didn't give up a hit in the scoreless eighth frame.  Gruber closed out the sweep by not allowing a run in the ninth.

MILESTONE MANIA: Thomas Horan continues to inch his way towards the 100-hit club. He had a single hit in each game and now has 97 career base knocks. Horan needs three more hits to become the 29th player, and third current player, to reach the 100-hit milestone.

COUNT ON CAIDEN: Caiden Kjelstrom continues to light it up at the top of the CC order. He started the season by going 1-for-11 in his first six games of the year. Since then he has put together a 10-game hit streak and is hitting .486 in that stretch.    

UP NEXT: Concordia will play their third road MIAC doubleheader in five days when they travel to Northfield to take on Carleton on Friday, Apr. 14 at 1 p.m.  

Cobber Baseball All-Time Hit Leaders (as of April 13, 2023)
1. 165 – Andy Gravdahl – 2018-2023
2. 162 - Chris Coste – 1993-95
3. 158 - Phil Kuball - 2013-16
4. 148 - Chad Felstul - 1999-02
5. 147 - Michael Olson - 2011-14
6. 140 - Kyle Johnson - 2006-09
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. 118 – Matt Gruber – 2019-23
20. 117 - Braden Rahman – 2011-14
T21. 116 – Chad Johnson – 2015-18
T21. 116 – Turner Storm – 2015-18
T23. 114 – Clayton Horgen – 1997-00
T23. 114 – Scott DeBrito – 1995-97
25. 113 - B.Schumacher - 2004-06
26. 106 – Jordan Domine – 2013-16
T27. 102 - Dan Wackler - 2008-11
T27. 102 – Greg Toivonen – 1984-86
29. 97 – Thomas Horan – 2020-23