(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia baseball hosted rival Siena Heights in a WHAC doubleheader at the Cardinal Baseball Field on Saturday. The Cardinals pitching held strong in game 1 as they pulled out a 4-1 win, but the Saints came back and took the second half of the series by the score of 8-7.
Game 1 – CUAA 4, SHU 1
Alex Phillips started on the mound in game 1, going 4 innings with 2 strikeouts and earning the victory. The first 2 and a half innings were scoreless, as the pitchers combined to allow just 2 hits during that span. The Cardinals got on the board in the 3rd, however, as Robert Brenay started off the scoring with an RBI groundout that drove home Aaron Brazelton. After a pair of CUAA walks, James (Jimmy) Wressel recorded a 2-out, bases loaded single that brought home Joe Jones and Jarrett Batanian to extend the Concordia lead to 3.
Bryon Mane entered the game in the 5th for the Cardinals, going the final three innings to pick up the save. After another pair of scoreless innings, CUAA was on the hunt for more runs. Following a lead-off double by James (Jimmy Wressel), Ryan Kotecki pinch ran and made it to 3rd base on a passed ball. Calvin Syrjala then hit a sacrifice fly out to right to drive home the fourth run of the contest for the Cards.
The Saints would get on the board in the top of the 7th with a solo home run to left field, cutting the lead back to three. Siena Heights would also get runners on 1st and 2nd base with just 1 out, but Mane would close the door on the SHU comeback and secure a Cardinal victory.
Game 2 – SHU 8, CUAA 7
Ryan Abenth started game 2 on the bump for Concordia, going 1.1 innings and surrendering 6 runs. The Saints started the game off quickly, driving home two runs on a 1-out single to take an early lead. The Cardinals responded in the bottom of the 1st, as Joe Jones made it home off a passed ball and Aaron West drove home Justin Kozlowski with a sacrifice fly in the same at bat. Siena Heights piled on 6 more runs in the top of the 2nd inning, as Logan Fleming took the mound in relief halfway through the frame for CUAA.
The Cardinals comeback effort kicked off in the bottom of the 3rd, as Aaron West led off the frame with a bunt single and was driven home by a James (Jimmy) Wressel RBI-double in the next at bat. Calvin Syrjala then ripped a double to the wall out in center field to drive home pinch runner Ryan Kotecki. After a Jordan Sherman single moved Calvin Syrjala to 3rd base, Jarret Batanian would later drive home Syrjala on a single to right field. Two at bats later, Caleb Harmond made it home as a pinch runner after a two-out error by the Saints' second basemen.
After an explosive first 3 innings offensively, both relief pitchers settled into a groove. Fleming would stay on the mound the rest of the contest for the Cardinals, going 7.2 inning and allowing only 1 earned run. The Cardinals offense also could not get past the Saints' relief pitching, being kept off the scoreboard after their 3rd inning explosion all the way until Aaron West made it home in the bottom of the 9th to make it an 8-7 game. Jordan Sherman would follow that run with a 2-out single, but Concordia was unable to drive in the game tying run, as Siena Heights would hold on for an 8-7 victory.
Concordia will be back at home tomorrow when they host the Lourdes Gray Wolves in another conference series. Game 1 opening pitch is set for 1pm.
