Sele Dials Long Distance To Say Goodbye At Home

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/29/13)—Concordia first baseman Kaia Sele, the school's all-time leader in home runs, had a fitting ending to her home career as she hit a home run in each game in the Cobbers' split against Valley City State on Monday.

Sele started the scoring in the opener with a solo shot to center field and helped the Cobbers post an 8-3 victory. She then tied the second game with a two-run shot in the sixth inning but it wouldn't be enough as Concordia fell 5-4.

The pair of long balls gives Sele five for the season and 21 for her career. She is now tied for 10^th on the MIAC's all-time home run list. Sele shattered the Cobber long ball record over the course of her career. The previous record was 12 set back in 1999.

Sele would finish the day by going 6-for-7 with four RBI and four runs scored. She was a part of the top of the Cobber batting order that combined for 18 of the team's 22 hits in the two games. The Concordia 1-through-5 hitters went 18-for-38 (.474) and combined for all 12 RBI on the day and scored 10 of the 12 CC runs.

Paige Beseman, batting in the No.2 spot in the order, continued her hot streak, she was 5-for-8 on the day and has now hit safely in seven straight games. She also has a team-high eight multiple-hit games on the year. Beseman currently leads Concordia in hitting with a .393 average. Joelle Link, the team's clean-up hitter, was 4-for-8 and contributed a two-run home run in the fifth inning of the first game.

Concordia took control of the first game in the third inning when they scored four times. The biggest hit of the inning came from pitcher Becca Conant who hit a bases- clearing, three-run double to left field. CC, who was the visiting team in the opener because the game was supposed to be played at Valley City, added two more in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Conant, hitting from the No.5 spot in the order, was 3-for-8 in the two games and had four RBI.  

Conant gave up three earned runs over the seven innings in the circle. She struck out three in picking up her team-leading fifth win of the year.

The second game boiled down to the seventh inning. The Cobbers, who returned to being the home team, scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 3-3 but then watched as the Vikings notched two in the top of the seventh – with the final run being the eventual game winner.

Concordia had a chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the seventh but a two-out rally fell just short. The Cobbers scored one run on a two-out single from Link and had runners on first and second but weren't able to get another clutch hit.

Hilary Rotunda started in the circle for the Cobbers and pitched the first 5.0 innings. She allowed three earned runs and struck out four.

Concordia will finish out their season at the newly expanded MIAC tournament. The Cobbers will play two games on Friday, May 3 at Caswell Park in Mankato and depending on the results have a chance to qualify for the usual conference tournament on Saturday and Sunday.