MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/05/08)-- With temperatures hovering in the low 40's and a windchill just above freezing, Concordia's bats were just as cold as the Cobbers lost 5-0 and 4-1 to St. Mary's on Saturday in Moorhead. CC produced just four combined hits in the doubleheader as they dropped their 2008 home opener. Concordia is now 3-13 overall and 0-2 in the MIAC. The Cardinals knocked out 18 hits and won for the fourth straight game. SMU is now 5-13 in all games and 4-0 in conference play.

The series started out with neither team being able to generate any offense. The starting pitchers for both teams took advantage of the non-offensive weather at the outset of game one. Through the four innings, the teams did not score a single run and combined for only four hits. The tide changed in the top of the fifth inning when St. Mary's scored two runs on one hit to take a 2-0 lead. Cobber starting pitcher Erin Johnson started to wear down and issued three walks in the inning. SMU desgnated player Megan Pulvermacher drew a free pass to start the frame. Megan McGraw came on as a pich runner and came around to score the eventual game-winning run on a hit from Cassie Otte. Otte would go on to score the second run in the inning.

The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth inning to seize control of the opener. In the sixth, SMU scored three runs on three singles and a lone walk.

For the game, Concordia had only two runners reach second base. The first came on a double by sophomore Maddie Haroldson in the second inning and the second was after a bunt single from Emily Jensen in the sixth inning.

The Cobbers were outhit 8-2 in the opener. CC starting pitcher Erin Johnson gave up four earned runs but fell prey to seven walks in the game. St. Mary's pitcher Sara Fizgerald recorded a complete game as she allowed only two hits and struck out six in earning her first shutout of the season.

The second game started on a positive note for Concordia. The Cobbers got one run in the bottom of the first. They were able to take advantage of walk, a sacrifice and then an error. That would be the lone run scored in the series for CC. St. Mary's took the lead in the top of the third inning. They scored two runs in the third and tacked on single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.

Concordia's best chance to get back in the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to come up with the clutch hit.

Erin Johnson pitched both games of the doubleheader for CC. In the second game she did not give up an earned run. All four runs scored by the Cardinals came courtesy of the four Cobber errors in the game. She allowed 10 hits and walked two. St. Mary's starting pitcher Jenna Johnson pitched the first 4.2 innings and gave up only one hit and struck out four. Fitzgerald came on in the pressure-packed fifth inning and struck out four of the final eight batters to claim her first save of the season.

Laura Johnson and Erin Johnson had the two hits for CC in the second game. St. Mary's had three players with two hits each. Otte extended her hitting streak to 15 games for the Cardinals. She went 1-for-3 in the first game and 1-for-4 in the nightcap.

Concordia will once again play the waiting game. The doubleheader with Augsburg scheduled for Sunday, Apr. 6 at home has been postponed until a later date. CC's next scheduled series is on Wednesday, Apr. 9 at St. Kate's at 4 p.m.