(Ann Arbor, MI) Concordia Baseball hosted rival Madonna for two big WHAC matchups between teams that started the day in the top four of the conference standings. CUAA battled all day and came through with two huge victories, 6-4 and 6-5. The sweep pushes Concordia's win streak to 14 - good enough for top five in the NAIA!
Game 1: Concordia 6 - Madonna 4
Trey Acker took the mound in game one for the Cardinals. The junior went the complete game, allowing only two earned runs on five hits. The stellar start lowered his season ERA to just 3.25!
Madonna was able to capitalize on an error in the first inning to go up 2-0 quickly. In the bottom of the second inning Justin Kozlowski launched his first home run of the season to put CUAA within one. Two innings later, Josh Burke hit one in nearly the same place in left center field to bring home Jake Kuhlman and put CUAA up 3-2. Tyler Wressel followed that up with a home run of his own to put the Cardinals up 4-2.
In the sixth inning Tyler Lawson was able to bring home Garrett Williams on a squeeze bunt. Justin Kozlowski later scored on a wild pitch to put Concordia up by four. In the top of the seventh inning Ty Stepek hit a home run to bring Madonna within two, but Trey Acker shut the door to give them a 6-4 victory in game one.
Game 2: Concordia 6 - Madonna 5
Drew Murphy threw the first two innings of the game only giving up one hit and one unearned run. Landen Harris and Kenneth (Dave) Rozmys pitched the middle innings, doing enough to get the ball to closer Blake Weaver. Weaver came on and threw two innings of shutout ball, striking out three on his way to his third save of the season.
Madonna scored first in game two as a fielder's choice was able to bring home Lucas Spicer in the second inning. A Bobby Cavin RBI single in the third inning made the score 2-0 Crusaders. In the bottom half of the third inning Tyler Wressel singled to bring home Jake Kuhlman to put CUAA on the board. Gus Simon later singled to bring home Garrett Williams and Derek Hebner, making the score 3-2 and giving the Cardinals their first lead.
Madonna quickly responded with an RBI double to knot the game at three a piece. A big bunt in the bottom half of the inning from Jake Kuhlman brought home Clayton McKinstry and made the score 4-3. In the sixth inning Tyler Wressel was able to get one through the infield to score both Kuhlman and Matthew Dubrick. Madonna would respond with two of their own in the top of the seventh, but it would not be enough as Blake Weaver would shut the door and finish the sweep of the Crusaders.
The Cardinals are back in action on Wednesday for a non conference doubleheader against Grace Christian!
