(Ann Arbor, MI) - The Concordia Cardinals baseball team hosted another Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference member the Lourdes Gray Wolves. The Cardinals were able to earn the game 1 win with the walk-off score but ended up falling in game 2. The Cardinals entered the contest at 22-10 overall and 4-2 in WHAC play, while the Gray Wolves entered at 19-7 overall and 4-2 in WHAC play as well.
Game 1: Concordia 8, Lourdes 7
Getting the start for the Cardinals in game 1 was Jacob Henry. Henry would go on to pitch 4.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks. Henry also struck out four batters.
The Cardinals were the first team to crack the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. James (Jimmy) Wrestle started the inning with a double down the left-field line. After walks to Calvin Syrjala, Aaron Brazelton, and Jarrett Batanian. The Cardinals would see the bases loaded. Johnny Shields came up to bat and hit a slow single into the gap between second and third to score a run.
Lourdes was able to even the game up at one in the fourth as they pieced together a walk and then a deep double to right-center field. The game would not stay tied for long as Calvin Syrjala and Jordan Sherman hit back-to-back doubles followed by two groundouts to score the second run. Lourdes though was able to come right back and take the lead hitting a two-run homer to right field a using a couple of singles to make the score 4-3.
The sixth inning saw action from both sides once again as Lourdes would take advantage of two extra-base hits and two singles to go up 7-3 after the top half of the inning. The bottom of the inning saw the Cardinals use singles from Jarrett Batanian and Joe Jones to bring the Cards to within one.
After a quick top of the seventh, the Cards came up to bat looking to tie it up and score the winning run. Following two walks to start the inning to Wressel and West, West was able to advance on a fly ball to left. Aaron Brazelton then walked to load the bases. Sitting at third was West who timed up the pitcher perfectly on a steal of home to score the winning run. Only a couple of pitchers later Caleb Chamberlain score the walk-off run on a passed ball.
Kenneth Rozmys and Ryan Patterson combined to pitch the final 2.1 innings. Rozmys would allow three runs on three hits while striking out one batter. Patterson came into the game with a runner at second and one out in the seventh and forced two popouts to close out the inning. Patterson would earn the win on the game.
Game 2: Lourdes 6, Concordia 4
Joe Tany hit the bump as the Cardinals looked to complete the series sweep. Tany would go on to pitch six innings, giving up five runs on five hits. He also struck out a career-high eight batters.
The Cardinals would strike first in the second inning as Aaron Brazelton singled through the left side of the infield and then two batters later Johnny Shields would do the same thing to score Brazelton. In the third inning, Lourdes would take the lead following an RBI double to the gap in left-center.
A fifth and sixth-inning home run to center and right field allowed the Gray Wolves to extend their lead to 5-1 lead.
The Card's comeback bid started in the bottom of the sixth, as they would plate three runs in the inning. Aaron West began the inning with a double down the left-field line and then James (Jimmy) Wrestle came up and put a ball over the left-center field fence for a home run. Concordia wasn't done as Jordan Sherman and Jarrett Batanian hit back-to-back doubles in order to bring the Cardinals within a run.
In the eighth Lourdes would score an insurance run on a sacrifice fly to right field. Concordia would threaten in both the eighth and ninth inning before the end but were not able to tally a run.
Mackenzie Martin was the only other pitcher to take the mound for the Cardinals as he would go the final three innings on the mound. He allowed only one unearned run while not allowing a hit or walk. He struck out two batters.
The Cardinals play for the third straight day as they travel down to UNOH for a makeup doubleheader against the Racers with the first game at 12 pm.
