A Split To Start The 2022 Season

MANKATO, Minn. (02/20/22)---Concordia opened the 2022 season by splitting a pair of games at the MSU Mankato Dome. The Cobbers started with an 11-5 win over Buena Vista (Iowa) and then lost 14-2 to Wis.-Stout.

The theme of opening day was – multiple-run innings. The Cobbers, Beavers and Blue Devils combined for 11 multiple-run half innings as 31 of the 32 runs scored in the two games came during those frames.

Concordia broke open the first game of the year with a 4-run, 4-hit third inning against Buena Vista. Kate Wensloff drove in the first run of the year, and then first-year player Gabby Brown plated two runs with a 2-out single to right field to stake the Cobbers to a 4-0 lead.

Junior catcher Ellie Tofteland was responsible for the second multiple-run inning of the day for CC. She connected on a pitch and drove it over the right-field fence after Valerie Kolstad led off the inning with a double to center field.

The Cobbers also put together multiple-run innings in the sixth and seventh innings. CC scored three times without a hit in the sixth, and then capped the 11-5 win with two runs on two hits in the final frame.

Tofteland had the only RBI in those two innings. She singled to center field to drive in Emma Bowman who pinch ran for Molly Wilde who started the seventh with a walk.

Tofteland finished the opener by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.

Kolstad was the only other CC player with more than one hit in the game. She was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a double.

Both teams came away with eight hits in the opener.

Senior All-Region pitcher Megan Gavin went the distance in the circle and picked up the first win of the year. She struck out three and allowed three earned runs on eight hits. The win was career victory No.28 in her career.

The Cobbers got behind early in the second game against Stout. CC allowed a pair of runs in the first inning and then four more in the third as the Blue Devils scored seven straight to start the game.

Concordia got on the board in the sixth when they scored a pair of runs on one hit. The lone base knock in the run-scoring inning came from Hannah Wilke whose ground out to second base plated Josie Steidl.

The Cobbers had four hits in the second game. Tofteland was 1-for-1 with a double in the fourth inning.

Landry Maragos, Kennedy Cook and Danielle Lyon had the other hits for CC.

The Cobbers used three pitchers against Stout. Vanessa Ramos started the game and went 3.0 innings. She allowed six earned runs on seven hits. Karissa Finnigan followed and went 3.2 innings. She gave up five earned runs on seven hits and struck out three. Rachel Woodley got the final out of the game in the seventh inning.

UP NEXT: The next action for Concordia will be on their annual spring break trip to Florida. The Cobbers will open their 10-game trek by playing Elizabethtown (Pa.) and Neumann (N.J.) on Sunday, Feb. 27 in Clermont, Fla.