Same Storyline Second Straight Day

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (4/15/12)—For the second straight day Concordia used an explosive offensive output to take game 1 of a conference doubleheader but then struggled to get clutch hits in the second game and wound up with a split. Another reoccurring theme also played out as junior Kaia Sele continued her assault on the offensive record book.
 
The Cobbers knocked out 11 hits and score seven runs in their 7-6 extra-inning win in the first game but then left eight runners on base in game 2 and lost 2-1. Sele was 2-for-6 with four RBI on the day and had a mammoth home run in the opener as she extended her school-record hitting streak to 18 games.

Concordia senior catcher Kayla Hendrickson also enjoyed a hot day at the plate despite the cold and rainy weather. Hendrickson was 3-for-4 in the opener and finished the day by going 4-for-7 with a run scored.

Concordia has now split their last three conference doubleheaders and moves to 6-8 in league play. CC is currently in seventh place as they try to make the top 4 for the conference tournament. The Cobbers are now 8-19 overall.   

The Cobbers earned the win in game 1 by posting three runs in the third, adding a pair in the fifth and then scratching across the game-winning run in the top of the eighth. The big hit in the third was Sele's towering shot over the extended right-field wall at Augsburg. The blast, which sources say was better than 300 feet, gave CC a 4-2 lead at the time. After the Auggies tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth, Concordia scored two more in the fifth when Kesley Jones doubled to left field to score Sele and Joelle Link.

Concordia then won the game in the eighth after Emily Salo walked and then took second on a successful sacrifice bunt by Heather Jonasson. Singles by Ali Beadle and Hendrickson loaded the bases and then Link's ground ball to third plated Salo.

Jones picked up the win in game 2. She entered the game in the sixth frame and pitched the final 2.2 innings. She did not allow an earned run and gave up only two hits while striking out three. Freshman MacKenzie Weatherly started the game for CC and she allowed five earned runs and eight hits in 5.1 innings of work.  

Augsburg (14-18/7-7 MIAC) posted all their runs in the second game in the very first inning. They scored two time on three hits and were then held scoreless in the final six innings and only had five hits. Concordia 's lone run came in the fourth when Ashley Tibbetts' sacrifice fly scored Sele from third. CC's best chance to take the lead came in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases but were unable to come away with the key hit.

Jones went the distance in the second game and allowed two earned runs and dropped her season ERA 5.52.

Concordia will continue on the road when they play at Bethel on Thursday, Apr. 19 at 3:30 p.m.