(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia baseball hosted UM-Dearborn for a WHAC conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.  The Cardinals featured a 25-12 record and a 9-3 WHAC mark while the Wolverines entered 5-8 overall and 3-7 in the WHAC.  CUAA used a comeback for a 6-5 win in game 1 and cruised to an 11-5 win in game 2 to sweep the series.

Game 1 – CUAA 6, UMD 5

Tyson Kleinfelter started on the mound in game 1, making 6 strikeouts.  The Cardinals struck first in the bottom of the 1^st when Calvin Syrjala smashed a 3-run homer that also scored Victor Diaz and Caleb Chamberlain.

UM-Dearborn countered with a grand slam in the 2^nd inning.  The Wolverines added another run in the 4^th to extend their lead to 5-3.

Concordia tied the game with 2 runs in the 6^th inning.  Calvin Syrjala crushed a solo home run for his second hit out of the ballpark on the day.  Vann Acker was later able to reach home on an error by UM-Dearborn, knotting the game 5-5.

The long ball continued to work for the Cardinals as Vann Acker hit a go-ahead solo home run in the 8^th.  Tyson Kleinfelter secured the final three outs in the 9^th inning and CUAA claimed the 6-5 win.

Game 2 – CUAA 11, UMD 5

Joe Tany started on the mound in game 2, notching 3 strikeouts in 5 innings.  Concordia turned a double play in the top of the 2^nd and then added 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Adam Purdy hit a 2-RBI single that scored Vann Acker and Preston Sherman for an early 2-0 lead.

UM-Dearborn broke the shutout with a solo home run in the 4^th.  The Cardinals countered in the bottom of the inning when Preston Sherman reached home on an error off a Vann Acker single.

UM-Dearborn pulled ahead 4-3 after a 3-run 5^th inning, but the Cardinals fought right back with 4 runs in the bottom of the inning.  Grant Steinborn started the scoring with an RBI groundout that drove in Dylan Steinke.  Calvin Syrjala then hit an RBI single to score Victor Diaz.  Chris Lowe used a sacrifice fly to drive in Syrjala and Preston Sherman capped off the inning with a solo home run.

Brandon Decker and Ryan Kotecki combined to pitch the 6^th inning.  UM-Dearborn got one run back in the 6^th to trim the CUAA lead to 7-5, but the Cardinals countered in the 7^th when RJ Bortle crushed a grand slam.  Bortle's home run also drove in Vann Acker, Calvin Syrjala, and Grant Steinborn.

Ryan Kotecki racked up 4 total strikeouts in his 3.1 innings on the mound and was able to secure the last out of the game by striking out the final batter.  CUAA claimed the series sweep with an 11-5 win.

Concordia will play their next games on Wednesday, April 21 when they travel to Spring Arbor for a doubleheader.  First pitch is at 2pm.