First Inning Foils Cobbers

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/08/15)—The first inning was unkind to the Cobbers. Concordia gave up three runs in the opening frame in both games of their doubleheader with Carleton and lost 6-2 and 10-8.

Concordia was never able to recover in the first game after spotting the Knights the three-spot in the first, trailed the entire game and conceded three more in the seventh and lost by four. The second game was a bit of a different story as the Cobbers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the first but then allowed six in the fourth and lost by a pair.

The two losses drop Concordia's overall record to 8-9 on the season. The Cobbers are now 2-6 in league play. Carleton moves to 8-16 in all games and 3-7 in the MIAC.

One of the keys in the two games was the ability to hit with two outs in an innings. Concordia was 3-for-18 (.167) in the two games with two outs. The Cobbers advanced a runner to second base in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings but were never able to get the runner across the plate to cut into the one-run margin.

Madison Little and Mackenzie Jensen scored the runs for the Cobbers in the opener. Little singled in the first, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Gabby Gardner, stole third and then came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Devonie Smith.

Jensen scored in the fifth to make it a 3-2 game. She singled, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice and then scored on a ground ball from Gardner.   

Concordia had five hits in the opener. Little went 2-for-3. Designated player Kayla Nack also went 2-for-3 in the game. 

Senior Hillary Rotunda pitched all seven innings. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits and struck out five batters. Rotunda has now struck out 45 batters in 58 innings pitched.

Concordia had a pair of multiple-run innings in the nightcap. The Cobbers scored four runs on three hits in the first inning and then plated two runs on one hit in the seventh inning. CC had the game-tying run at the plate but was unable to string together more hits.

Ashley Tibbetts and Gardner both had two hits in the second game and drove in six of the team's eight runs. Tibbetts was 2-for-4 and had four RBI. She drove in both runs in the seventh with a double to right-center field. Gardner was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Abigail Haraldson pitched the entire game and allowed 10 hits and nine earned runs. It is the first time this season she has allowed more than four earned runs in a game.

Little had her five-game hitting streak come to an end as she went 0-for-2 in the finale.

Concordia will have to wait less than 24 hours to get back on the winning track. The Cobbers will host Valley City State on Thursday, Apr. 9 at 3:30 p.m.