Gameday Recap

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (4/14/07)--For the second straight doubleheader Concordia squared off against a conference opponent that was ranked in the top 20 of the nation and for the second straight series, the Cobbers were unable to overcome in a close game and then lost concentration and fell by seven runs. On Saturday, CC lost 9-2 in the first game against No.6-ranked St. Olaf but then battled until the final inning before losing 2-1 on a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh.

The losses drop Concordia's overall record to 4-14 and their conference mark to 0-4. Despite their losing record, the Cobbers have battled the top two teams in the league all the way to the wire. St. Olaf wins for the 16th straight time and remains unbeaten in league play. The Oles are now 18-1 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC.

In the opener, St. Olaf's offensive output came courtesy of two innings. The Oles roughed up Cobber starter Scott Schumacher for five runs in the third inning and then four more in the sixth inning. Those two innings combined for all nine St. Olaf runs and eight of the team's 10 hits. In the other four innings that Schumacher pitched, he gave up only two hits and did not allow a base runner to reach second base.

Offensively, Concordia scored both of their runs in the fifth inning. Brian Knoblauch singled and then scored on an Erick Sykora base hit and then Sykora came around to score after a Jake Krause double and a Ryan Emter RBI ground out to second base. Krause was the only Cobber player with more than one hit in the game. He posted two of CC's seven hits in the game.

The second game turned into a pitcher's duel between Concordia's Kevin Engebretson and The Oles' Paul Johnson. Both pitchers went the distance, allowed a combined three earned runs and recorded 14 strikeouts. Unfortunately for Engebretson he came out on the wrong side of the one-run decision.

The Oles scored in the bottom of the first inning. The Cobbers then tied the game on a Kyle Johnson home run in the top of the second inning. For Johnson it was his second home run of the year. After the second frame, neither team was able to advance a runner past second base as Engebretson and Johnson settled into a rhythm.

The winning run came after a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning. After a sacrifice bunt that positioned Pat Wadzinski on second base, Andrew Schmiesing came through with a single to left field to score Wadzinski from second.

Scott Halupczok was the only CC player with more than one hit in game two. Halupczok went 2-for-3.

Concordia will return home to play in their home opener on Monday, Apr. 16 when they host Bethel at 2:30 p.m.