Late-Inning Explosion Costs Cobbers

MANKATO, Minn. (5/03/13)—Concordia gave up eight runs in the final fifth and sixth innings and lost 10-3 to St. Olaf in the first game of the MIAC Round Robin Tournament in Mankato on Friday. The Cobbers grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth frame before the Oles erupted for the game-deciding eight runs.

The MIAC Round Robin Tournament was scheduled for the end of the year due to the horrible weather conditions throughout the spring and the fact that few conference teams had played their entire league schedule. Concordia entered the tournament with the fewest conference games played. CC had only played 10 MIAC games as compared to 16 for St. Olaf. Concordia and St. Olaf were the only two conference teams that hadn't played at least 18 MIAC games.

Concordia's lack of game experience showed in the opener. The Cobbers continually battled back against the seasoned Oles but in the end were unable to overcome the late-inning explosion.

St. Olaf got on the board first when they plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Concordia countered for a single run in the second when pitcher Becca Conant cranked a home run over the right-center field fence. It was Conant's second long ball of the season.

Conant would then stymie St. Olaf at the plate until the fifth inning. Conant pitched a perfect second, third and fourth innings and struck out four in the process.

Concordia (7-18) seized a lead in the top of the fifth on a pair of hits and a double steal. The first run was put on the board when Mackenzie Jensen reached on an error and then advanced to second on a single from Kelly Tasky. Jensen and Tasky pulled off the double steal before Jensen scored on a wild pitch. Tasky scored the second run of the inning to put CC up 3-2 on a single to center field off the bat of Paige Beseman.

St. Olaf (14-15) scored three times in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead and then scored five more in the sixth to finish off the scoring at 10-3. The Oles had six hits in the fifth and sixth after only having two in the first four frames.

The Cobbers were outhit 8-4 and had four different players get base hits. Besides Conant, Tasky and Beseman, Kara Olmen had a single in the second inning.

Concordia will now play Hamline in the second game of the conference round robin tournament.