Gameday Recap

BISMARCK, N.D. (3/20/07)--Concordia allowed a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and fell 5-4 to the University of Mary in Bismarck on Tuesday.

The Cobbers took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. Freshman reliever Adam Johnson allowed a leadoff single but then struck out the next two batters he faced. With two outs in the inning, Johnson then walked the next batter to put runners on first and second. The Marauders then brought in a pitch hitter who smashed a line drive off of Johnson's glove. The ball then slowly caromed toward CC thirdbaseman Scott Schumacher who charged the ball and tried to throw the runner out at first base. Unfortunately his throw was wide of Cobber firstbaseman Scott Halupczok and ended up rolling down the right field line. With both runners taking off on contact, they were able to score and give Mary the improbable come-from-behind 5-4 win.

Despite coming out on the wrong side of the score, Concordia was able to come away with several positives from the game. The Cobbers started four freshmen and used four freshman pitchers in the game against a very solid NCAA Division II University of Mary squad.

Concordia (1-7) also received continued clutch hitting of the Johnson boys. Senior outfielder Zach Johnson had a team-high two hits in the game, went 2-for-4 an upped his season average to .414. Sophomore catcher Kyle Johnson (no relation to Zach) went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He leads the team in RBI's with nine and has hit safely in his last six games.

The Cobber kiddy corps was led by starting pitcher Matt Green and secondbaseman Tyler Doll. Green pitched the first three innings, allowed only three hits and one earned run. Doll, competing in his first collegiate game, went 2-for-4 and cleanly handled all five chances in the field.

Fellow freshman Eddie Massee, who was also seeing his first collegiate experience, took over for Green and pitched three innings, allowing two runs, three hits and striking out two. Massee gave way to freshman Ryan Johnson who retired one batter and did not give up an earned run. Junior Anthony Stern set the table for Adam Johnson (no relation to the other two Johnsons) by pitching 1.2 innings and not allowing a hit.

For one of the first times all season, Concordia was able to get off to a fast start. They started the game by plating two runs in the opening inning. Zach Johnson's double scored Zach Johnson and then Ryan Emter's sacrifice fly brought home Chris Klabo who had walked and then reached third on Kyle Johnson's double.

Mary (4-9) was able to get one run back in the second inning and then took a 3-2 lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Cobbers regained the lead in the top of the seventh inning when they scored two unearned runs. That set the stage for Mary's dramatic ninth-inning display.

Concordia will head to the Twin Cities for a pair of doubleheaders in the Metrodome over the weekend. The Cobbers will play UW-Stout on Friday, Mar. 23 at 9:30 p.m. and then turn around and play St. Scholastica on Saturday, Mar. 24 at 5 p.m.