(Ann Arbor, MI) - The Concordia Cardinals returned home to Ann Arbor to open up their Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play against the Racers from the University of Northwestern Ohio. The Cardinals entered the doubleheader with a record of 15-11, while the Racers entered at 5-9.
The Cardinals would split the series picking up the walk-off win and the 100th win of Coach Cavanagh's career at Concordia.
Game 1: UNOH 7, Concordia 2
Hannah Duchene hit the mound for the Cardinals in game one of the afternoon. Duchene would go on to pitch 5.1 innings in the game, giving up 11 hits and five of the Racer's runs. She would strike out four batters throughout the game.
The Racers were able to jump on Duchene right away in the first inning as they were able to put together a couple of doubles and singles together in order to put two runs on the board after the first. The top of the third saw the same plays happen as doubles doomed the Cardinals for another run.
The Cardinals would respond in the bottom of the inning after Bella Lee doubled down the left-field line and would come home to score following an error by the Racer shortstop. The Racers grabbed that run right back on a double steal in the top of the fourth.
The final three UNOH runs came in the sixth and seventh inning on home runs to centerfield. Lee would start an attempted comeback with a double to left field and come around to score on a Kennedy Cornette single, but that would not be enough for the Cardinals falling the first game 7-2.
Two other pitchers would combine to pitch the final 1.2 innings as Kendall Kahl and Cassidy Kane would see the final innings. Kahl would be the first to come into relief Duchene pitching .2 innings and giving up two runs on two hits. Kane would pitch the seventh inning for the Cardinals and not allow a hit while striking out one batter.
Game 2: Concordia 10, UNOH 9
Hitting the mound for the backend of the doubleheader was Paige Anderson. She would pitch five innings, giving up eight runs on nine hits and striking out 3 batters.
The Cardinals and Racer both put runs on the board in the first inning, as the Racer picked up a home run over the center-field wall and the Cardinals pieced together a couple of singles and took advantage of a UNOH error to even the score.
Both teams again in the second put up runs with the Racers knocking a grand slam over the wall in center to make it 5-1. The Cards though would get all of those runs back plus one to take the lead 6-5. Cassidy Kane started with a single up the middle, after a walk to Bella Lee, Lauren Martin singled, and then Shannon McAlinden doubled in two runs. After a steal of third Payton Lewis bunted for a single that would score McAlinden. After a couple more singles and a couple of wild pitches would score another run for the Cardinals.
The Cards would tack on more runs in the third as Kennedy Cornette would reach on a single and a Payton Lewis single scored another run. In the fourth inning, the Racers would knock out another homer to right field for three runs to tie the game at eight all.
The final inning saw Abbie Begley make a great play in left field on a sacrifice fly towards the top of the fence for the Racers to take the 9-8 lead.
The Cardinal would not go away though as they would plate two runs in the bottom of the inning to walk away with the win. Lee would once again light the fire for the Cards getting on base with a single. After a pinch-runner and a sacrifice bunt from Dee Campbell, Sarah Tyrrell was at second. McAlinden singled to left field and Tyrrell would score the tying run in the game. Payton Lewis would come up to bat with McAlinden on second and send a ball into left field that would fall and score the winning run for the win.
Cassidy Kane would come into the relief of Anderson after five innings and would pitch the Cardinals to the win with one run given up on one hit and striking out two batters.
The Cardinals will be back at it this weekend with another home WHAC doubleheader against Cleary on Saturday.
