Gameday Recap

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/23/07)--If it were two football games against St. John's, the Cobber defense would be receiving accolades for holding the vaunted Johnnie offense to only two touchdowns and a field goal. Unfortunately it is the spring and the Concordia defense allowed SJU to score 17 runs in a 10-1, 7-3 doubleheader sweep over CC on Monday in Moorhead.

The two losses virtually eliminate Concordia from the four-team MIAC playoff as they drop to 3-9 in conference play. The Cobbers are now 7-19 overall. St. John's continues to stay in the hunt for the MIAC championship and a spot in the conference playoffs. With their third sweep of the year against a league opponent, the Johnnies up their MIAC mark to 9-3. They are locked in a three-way tie for second place with St. Thomas and Gustavus and are two games behind league leader St. Olaf. SJU goes to 16-11 overall.

The first game was over by the end of the second inning. St. John's scored four runs in the first inning and three more in the second to seize control of the opener. They were able to hit the ball all over the park in the opening two frames as they combined for six of their 12 hits in the game. SJU then added single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Concordia's lone run in the opener came in the sixth inning when Matt Youngquist connected on his first collegiate home run.

The Cobbers accounted for six hits in the first game. Unfortunately the defense committed four errors that led to three unearned runs. Cobber starter Kevin Engebretson lasted only 1.2 innings and allowed five earned runs on six hits. Sophomore Darrin Carlson once again proved to be an inning-eater as he worked 4.1 innings in middle relief. He allowed only one earned run during that time. In his past two outings, he has pitched 9.1 innings, allowed only one earned run and lowered his team-leading ERA to 3.18.

St. John's junior starting pitcher T.J. Nelson pitched a complete game to move his season record to 3-0. He allowed six hits and struck out four.

Youngquist was the only Cobber player with more than one hit in the opener. He went 2-for-3. The Johnnies had four players with at least two hits. Leadoff hitter Casey Haugen was 3-for-3 and scored two runs. Shawn Schoenberg hit his second long ball of the year.

The second game was close all the way until the end. Concordia grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning before SJU countered with three runs in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead. The Cobbers evened the score in the bottom of the frame. The 3-3 deadlock would last until the top of the sixth inning when St. John's scored four runs. The big blow in the decisive sixth came off the bat of Schoenberg who pounded out his second home run of the series to put SJU in the lead at 5-3.

Concordia was outhit 8-7 in the nightcap. CC starting pitcher Eddie Massee lasted until the sixth inning. The freshman hurler allowed all seven runs and struck out two. At one point at the end of the fifth inning he had retired seven straight Johnnie batters.

At the plate, Youngquist continued his hot hand against SJU pitching. He went 2-for-4 in the second game and finished the series 4-for-7 and upped his season average to .296. Haugen matched Youngquist, going 2-for-3 in the second game with a runs scored and an RBI. He ended the day 5-for-6 and is now hitting .346 on the year.

Concordia will have four days off for finals before they return to the diamond to take on Carleton on Saturday, Apr. 28 at 1 p.m. at the Jake Christiansen Athletic Complex.