Pitching Powers Cobbers To Sweep Over Bethany (W.V.)

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (3/05/24)---Concordia turned a 1-game win streak into a 3-game win streak by flipping the switch on their offensive outburst on Monday and used stellar pitching performances on Tuesday.

Starting pitchers Dylan Erholtz and Ben Trutwin combined to pitch 11.0 of the 14 innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run while striking out 13 in Concordia's 9-1 and 6-1 wins over Bethany (W.V.).

The sweep over the Bison pushes the Cobbers' record over the .500 mark. They are now 3-2 on the year. Bethany falls to 1-7.

Game 1 – Concordia 9, Bethany 1
Erholtz didn't allow a hit in his 5.0 innings of work in the opener. He walked four but only allowed one runner to get past second base in his first start of the year. Sophomore pitcher Bergen Bauman closed out the final 2 innings, allowing one run on three hits.

The offense came up with nine runs on 11 hits in Game 1. The two big innings for CC were the first and fourth frames where they combined to record nine hits and score seven runs.

Wyatt Gunkel and Ben Shumansky had RBI singles in the first inning, while Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe had the big hit in the fourth when he singled home Caiden Kjelstrom and Thomas Horan.

Gunkel, Henkemeyer-Howe and Jake Christianson all had 2-hit games for the Cobbers. Gunkel was 2-for-4, while Henkemeyer-Howe was 2-for-2 with a walk and Christianson went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base.

Justin Kloster had the only extra-base hit for Concordia in the opener when he tripled with one out in the fifth inning. He would later score on Kjelstrom's sacrifice bunt.

Game 2 – Concordia 6, Bethany 1
The story of the second game was Trutwin. The freshman had Bethany guessing all game long and finished with 10 strikeouts in his first collegiate start. He gave up only three hits and one run in 6.0 innings of work. Trutwin also faced only one batter over the minimum through the first five innings.

Freshman Wyatt Mohr made his second collegiate appearance and struck out all three batters in the seventh inning.  

Like the opener, the Cobbers set the tone for the game by getting on the board in the first inning. Shumansky record his second RBI of the day when he singled home Christianson.

Concordia would score a single run in the fourth and then add 2-score frames in the fifth and sixth. Shumansky came through with his second RBI of the game in the fifth. David Dorsey drove in the other run in that inning with a single. Horan had the lone RBI in the sixth when he recorded a sacrifice fly that plated the speedy Kjelstrom.

The Cobbers outhit the Bison 11-3 in the nightcap. Dorsey led the way by going 3-for-4, while Christianson, Shumansky and Pederson all had 2-hit contests.

Shumansky has fashioned the longest hitting streak for CC. He has hit safely in four straight games. He is currently hitting .429, which is second on the team to Gunkel. Gunkel has played in four games and has a .429 average.

UP NEXT: Concordia will face Husson (Maine) in a single game on Wednesday, Mar. 6.