Cobbers Run Into Offensive Buzz Saw

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (4/26/13)—Concordia ran into an offensive buzz saw and lost 10-0 and 11-3 at Bethel on Friday. The Cobbers allowed 24 hits in the two games as they fell for the fifth straight time.

Concordia (4-14/1-5 MIAC) had not allowed more than nine runs in a game on only one occasion during the season but then gave up double-digit scoring totals in two consecutive games to the Royals.

The Cobber offense came away with 11 hits on the day but was never able to get on track with runners in scoring position. CC was just 4-for-19 with runners on base and 0-for-8 with RBI opportunities.

Both games were closer than the scores indicated but the wide margin of defeat was dictated by a pair of monster innings for Bethel . The Royals scored six times in the top of the fifth inning in the opener and then added nine runs in the seventh inning in the nightcap.

The second game was the closet of the two as the Cobbers held a 3-2 lead heading into the final frame. Concordia took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Joelle Link hit her second home run of the season. Link's blast to left-center field plated Kaia Sele who singled to left field in the at-bat before Link. Both hits came with two outs in the inning.

Bethel (19-11/10-4 MIAC) tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the second when the first four batters of the inning successfully reached base. The Cobbers retook the lead in the fifth inning after a Paige Beseman single and then a sacrifice fly and an error brought Beseman around to score.

The Royals blew the game open when they scored nine times in the seventh inning. BU had nine hits in the inning and sent 14 hitters to the plate.

Sele and Beseman led the Cobber offense in the second game as the pair combined for four of the team's five base knocks. Sele was 2-for-2 and scored a run while Beseman was 2-for-3 and also scored a single run.

Concordia had six hits in the first game but was done in by a six-run, four-hit, 1-error sixth inning. Six different Cobbers had hits in the opener. Kelly Tasky and Heather Jonasson were both 1-for-3 batting in the top two spots in the order. Ashley Tibbetts went 1-for-1 and had one walk while Becca Conant, Krista Bkork and Mackenzie Jensen were all 1-for-2.

Concordia will stay in the Twin Cities and face Macalester in St. Paul on Saturday, Apr. 27 beginning at 2 p.m. The Cobbers will then return to Moorhead to host their home opener on Sunday, Apr. 28 against St. Olaf at 2 p.m.