(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia baseball hosted Saint Xavier on Friday afternoon for a non-conference doubleheader.  The Cardinals, recently receiving votes in the national poll, entered 18-9 overall while the Cougars came in 14-12.  CUAA won game 1 behind a complete game on the mound from Grant Steinborn, but Saint Xavier took game 2 to split the series.

Game 1 – CUAA 3, SXU 1

Grant Steinborn pitched a complete game in the first contest, making 4 strikeouts in 7 innings.  Steinborn helped his own cause in the bottom of the 1^st with a sacrifice fly to score Dylan Steinke.  Victor Diaz eventually reached home on a wild pitch, giving CUAA a 2-0 lead after the 1^st.

The Cardinals turned a double play in the top of the 3^rd.  Concordia added a run in the bottom of the 3^rd when Adam Purdy scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.  CUAA added another double play in the 5^th inning when a flyout to right field also allowed the team to get out a Saint Xavier baserunner.

Saint Xavier broke the shutout with a run in the 6^th inning, but the Cardinal defense held for the rest of the game.  Grant Steinborn mowed down all three batters in the 7^th to secure the 3-1 win.

Game 2 – SXU 8, CUAA 3

Jacob Henry began game 2 on the mound, making 2 strikeouts in 2 innings.  Saint Xavier scored 2 runs in the top of the 1^st.  In the bottom of the 1^st Dylan Steinke attempted to score after Victor Diaz was caught in a rundown, but the throw to home was narrowly in time.

Saint Xavier added another run in the 2^nd, but the Cardinals countered when Vann Acker smashed a solo home run to break the shutout.

Ryan Abenth came in to pitch in the 3^rd inning, striking out the first batter he faced.  The Cougars added one more run in the 3^rd and two in the 4^th to extend their lead to 6-1.  The Cardinals scored in the bottom of the 4^th when Dylan Steinke hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to drive in Vann Acker.

Brendan Lyons came in at pitcher in the 5^th, mowing down all three batters in the inning.  Chris Lowe hit an RBI-double in the bottom half of the inning to score Calvin Syrjala and cut the deficit to 6-3.

Saint Xavier added 2 runs in the top of the 7^th.  The Cardinals had a chance in the bottom of the 7^th when Grant Steinborn was by a pitch and Chris Lowe singled, but Saint Xavier finished the inning to hand CUAA an 8-3 loss.

Concordia will remain at home tomorrow when they host Rochester for a WHAC conference doubleheader.  First pitch is set for 1pm.