(Ann Arbor, MI) - The Concordia Cardinals took the home field for the first time since April 2 as they took on the Gray Wolves from Lourdes on a windy Thursday afternoon game. The Cardinals came into the game with a record of 18-16 overall and 3-5 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play, while Lourdes came in with an 8-13 overall record and also a 3-5 WHAC record.
Game 1: Lourdes 8, Concordia 5
Paige Anderson got the start for the Cardinals as she would go a total of 6.2 innings. She would be pulled in the sixth, but reenter in the seventh inning. She gave up four earned runs on nine hits and strike out three batters.
After a quick top of the first by Anderson. The Cardinal offense got to work right away in the bottom half of the inning. Koryn Playford hit a home run to left field to take a 1-0 lead. A nice diving play from the Gray Wolves' first baseman ended the inning with a double play, as the Cardinals had runners at the corners with only one out.
The Cardinal's defense stumbled in the third inning as the Gray Wolves were able to plate a couple of runs off of errors. The Lourdes lead didn't last long though as Concordia picked up two runs as they plated runs after a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt from Payton Lewis. The lead shifted back Lourdes' way as they pieced together a couple of hits in the fifth and sixth to take back the lead and add insurance runs to lead 6-3.
The bottom of the sixth the Cardinals would begin their comeback attempt. Playford would once again begin the run getting a single. Dee Campbell would then single to put two runners on base. Abbie Begley would walk to load the bases after Lewis scored on an error. Cassidy Kane would be able to put a ball just over the second baseman's shoulder to bring in another run to make it 6-5.
The top of the seventh saw Lourdes scoring on a home run and then a fielder's choice. The Cards would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
Megan Martin would come into pitch in the sixth and be able to get an out, she would come back out in the seventh but was not able to get any outs. In total, she pitched .1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
Game 2: Concordia 8, Lourdes 5
Hannah Duchene would get hit the bump for game two of the afternoon. Duchene would total 6.1 innings, and allow six runs on ten hits while striking out four batters and earning the win.
The Gray Wolves were the team that struck first right away as they were able to piece together a couple of singles to score. The Cards struck right back in the bottom half of the inning as they would plate three runs. Dee Campbell would bring home Payton Lewis with a single, Playford would steal home and then Abbie Begley would plate another run on a steal of home.
The second inning had scoring from Maddie Grueter, Karley Kent, and Lewis to get three more runs across the plate. Shannon McAlinden would plate two of those runs on an RBI single to center field.
Lourdes would get back to just a one-run difference as they would hit a grand slam over the left-center field wall for a 6-5 score. The teams would see good pitching for the next three frames.
The Cardinals would get some key insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as they saw two runs cross the plate. Dee Campbell hit a bloop single into centerfield that wound up scoring McAlinden. Another run would score as Begley hit a grounder to short and Rhodea would score.
Cassidy Kane would come in for the final two outs as she would strike out her first batter and then end the game by forcing a ground out to second base. She would earn her first save of the season.
The Cardinals will play this Saturday as they will go up against UM-Dearborn with the doubleheader beginning at 1 PM.
