ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (4/20/07)-- It all depends on your idea of a good fastpitch softball doubleheader. If you like great pitching and stellar defense then Friday's series between Concordia and St. Ben's was your perfect way to spend a spring afternoon. If you like high-octane offense, lots of hits and runs, then you were probably better off doing some spring cleaning. The Cobbers and Blazers totaled two runs and 13 total hits in two games as Concordia was swept by St. Ben's 1-0, 1-0. It is the first time the Cobbers have been blanked in both games of a conference doubleheader since last year when St. Mary's turned the same trick, winning 2-0, 2-0.

The two losses deal a severe blow to the Cobbers playoff hopes. Entering the series, Concordia was 7-5 in league play and tied for third place with St. Mary's. At the end of the afternoon, CC was 7-7 in the MIAC and tied for fifth place. The Cobbers are now 9-15 overall. Behind the superb pitching of senior Monica Eiden, the Blazers leapfrogged Concordia in the conference standing and are now 7-5 and in fourth place in the race for the four MIAC playoff spots. The two victories evens the Blazers' overall record at 12-12. Eiden picked up the win in both games, pitching 12.0 innings and only allowed four hits.

In both games, Concordia had chances to put up runs on the board, but like Thursday's first game with Macalester, they were unable to come up with the timely hit with runners on the base paths. On Thursday, Concordia stranded 13 runners in the opener, on Friday, they left 10 more on base. All told in both games against the Blazers, the Cobbers were 1-for-17 (.055) with runners on base. On two occasions in the opener, CC had a runner on third base with one out and on both occasions, failed to get the runner home.

The lack of offense spoiled two tremendous pitching performances by the suddenly proficient Cobber pitching staff. Sophomore Jill Reinert pitched in the first game and did not allow an earned run in six innings of work. It was the second straight game that she has not allowed an earned run. She gave up only four hits and struck out a pair. She has slowly dropped her season ERA in the past two weeks. In her last nine starts she has held the opposition without an earned run on five occasions and has dropped her ERA to 4.70. Freshman Erin Johnson followed Reinert's gem with one of her own. Making her first conference start of her career, she did not allow an earned run and gave up only four hits as well. Johnson lowered her team-leading ERA to 2.59.

Offensively, Concordia came up with four hits in the first game and with only one in the finale. Amanda Johnson had two of the five Cobber hits on the day. She went 1-for-2 in the opener and 1-for-3 in the second game. Her single in the fourth inning was the only hit in the game for CC.

The Cobbers will continue their three-day tour in the MIAC by playing at St. Mary's on Saturday, Apr. 21 at 1 p.m. Concordia will then return home to host Northland (Wis.) on Monday, Apr. 23 at 1 p.m.