A Long Day At The Ol' Ballpark

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (5/12/23)---There would be no magic comebacks or late-game theatrics for the Cobbers on Day 2 of the MIAC playoffs. Concordia opened the winner's bracket with a 3-0 loss to Bethel and then fell 15-6 to Gustavus in an elimination game.

The two losses end the Cobbers' season. CC finishes the year with a 21-18 record.

GAME 1
Concordia was shut out for the first time in the season in the opening game against the Royals. The Cobbers had six hits in Game 1 but couldn't come up with a base knock at a critical moment. CC was 1-for-9 when leading off an inning and 1-for-10 with runners on base.      

Bethel (28-10) put up single-run innings in the first, fifth and eighth frames.

The Cobbers only had one runner advance past second base in the first game, which came in the eighth inning. Jake Christianson reached on a fielder's choice and moved up to second when Caiden Kjelstrom used his speed to beat out a bunt single. Christianson took third on a wild pitch but was stranded when the next batter lined out to right field.

Concordia had six different players get a single hit against Bethel.

Jacoby Nold, Kyle Cluff and Max Boran combined to pitch the full 9.0 innings. Nold got the start and went 5.1 innings. He struck out five batters and allowed a pair of earned runs on four hits. Cluff came through with 2.2 innings, conceded one run on one hit, and Boran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

GAME 2
The second game against the Gusties was decided with a 9-run fourth inning that staked GAC to a 14-0 lead. Concordia got four runs back in the bottom of the inning and then added single runs in the seventh and ninth.

The Cobbers finished the nightcap with nine base knocks. Andy Gravdahl, Wyatt Gunkel and Boran all had 2-hit games in the season finale.

Boran had the biggest hit for CC when he hit a laser down the right-field line that rolled all the way to the fence. Boran was able to get all the way to third for his second triple of the season. His hit in the fourth scored Gunkel and Chance Bye. Boran came home on the very next pitch when the Gustavus pitcher was called for a balk.

Boran also had a double to lead off the seventh inning and came around to score on Caiden Kjelstrom's ground out. Kjelstrom scored the final run for CC when he came home on a wild pitch in the ninth inning.

Concordia used six pitchers in the second game. Senior Luke Levasseur was the most effective of the group. Her went 3.0 innings , didn't allow a run and only gave up one base hit.