MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/19/07)-- Concordia overcame a chilling 5-4 defeat in the first game against Macalester and cruised to an 8-0 win in six innings in the second game to come away with a conference split on Thursday in Moorhead. The loss in game one was the first home defeat of the season and puts a damper on the Cobbers' charge towards their first-ever MIAC playoff berth. Concordia is now 7-5 in conference play and tied for third with St. Mary's. The Cobbers are now 9-13 overall.

The win for Macalester in the opener marked the first time since the 1998 season that the Scots had defeated the Cobbers.

In the opener, the teams traded singles runs in the first inning and three runs in the second before the pitchers took over. The only run in the final five innings of play came in the top of the fourth inning. The eventual game-winning run was scored on a one-out fielder's choice that plated Hannah Wydeven.

Concordia was never able to get the timely hit against Macalester starting pitcher Olivia Abbott in the final four innings. CC stranded 13 runners in the first game and none more crucial than in the bottom of the seventh when the Cobbers had a runner on third with only one out and the top of the order at the plate. Abbott picked up her biggest out of the day by striking out Concordia hit leader Kelli Niess. She then induced third baseman Amanda Michaelson to ground out to finish the game.

In the first game Concordia outhit the Scots 10-6. The Cobbers had three players collect more than one hit in the game. Niess finished the contest 2-for-5 and scored two runs. Lisa Kott went 2-for-4 with three RBI's and Laura Johnson also went

2-for-4. For Macalester, Katie Grudnowski went 3-for-3 to record three of the team's six hits in  the game.

Cobber starting pitcher Jill Reinert went the distance and allowed two earned runs and struck out ten. Abbott induced Concordia into 13 ground ball outs. She finished the game with six strikeouts and allowed four earned runs.

Concordia didn't allow the second game to be determined in the late innings. CC scored singles runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings and dropped a five-spot in the third frame. Reinert then held the Macalester offense in check for the first five innings. She earned her seventh win of the year by allowing only three hits and walking only one.

Concordia once again outhit Macalester (8-19/5-7 MIAC). The Cobbers pounded out nine hits and had three players collect multiple-hit games. Niess went 2-for-4 to finish the day 4-for-9. She upped her season batting average to .407 on the year. Laura Johnson followed up her multiple-hit game in the opener by going 2-for-3 with three RBI's in the second game. She is hitting .435 in the team's last eight games. Shantelle Nogowski was also 2-for-4 and scored a run and drove in a run.

The doubleheader marked the start of a stretch where the Cobbers will play four doubleheaders in fours days. Next up for CC is a twinbill at St. Ben's on Friday, Apr. 20 at 4 p.m.