(Johnson City, TN) – Concordia baseball kicked off their 2019 season with a trip to Tennessee to face off in the "Clash of Conferences" at TVA Credit Union Stadium. The Cardinals played one 7-inning game against Huntington and three 7-inning games against Rio Grande between Saturday and Sunday. CUAA earned a split both days, coming away with a 2-2 record early on the year.
Game 1 – Huntington 2, CUAA 0
Jacob Clark (SR/Pinckney, MI) started on the mound for Concordia and pitched a complete game on Saturday, striking out 3 batters in 6 innings of work. Huntington pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the 1st to take an early 1-0 lead.
Jacob Clark did not allow a single base runner in the 2nd or 3rd innings. Huntington was able to add another run in the bottom of the 4th to extend their lead to 2-0.
Concordia's best opportunity came in the top of the 6th inning. Grant Steinborn (JR/Flushing, MI) reached on a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Lucas McNinch (SO/Belding, MI). McNinch was able to steal both second and third base, but the Cardinal bats were unable to score the runner.
Jacob Clark mowed down every batter in the 6th inning, but Concordia did not plate a base runner in the top of the 7th leading to a 2-0 loss.
Game 2 – CUAA 5, Rio Grande 1
Jimmy McKane (JR/Saint Johns, MI) pitched a complete game for Concordia in their second contest on Saturday, striking out 4 batters. McKane allowed no base runners through the first 2 innings, and the Cardinals struck first in the bottom of the 2nd. Preston Sherman (JR/Homer, MI) reached base on an error and scored off a single up the middle from Vann Acker (JR/Eaton Rapids, MI).
Rio Grande broke up the no-hitter in the 3rd, but no runs scored. Concordia added 3 more runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. Vann Acker reached on a walk, stole second, and scored on a single from Ethan Vosburg (SR/Climax, MI). With the bases loaded, a single from Blaine Milheim (SR/Eaton Rapids, MI) scored Ethan Vosburg and Maxwell Hecht (FR/Holland, MI). CUAA led 4-0 after the 4th.
Concordia turned a double play in the 5th to keep Rio Grande off the board. The Cardinals added one more run in the top of the 5th. Preston Sherman hit a lead-off double, and a single from Ethan Vosburg scored pinch runner Lucas McNinch.
Huntington broke up the shutout with a run in the top of the 6th inning, but Jimmy McKane dispatched all three batters in the 7th to secure the 5-1 win for Concordia.
Game 3 – CUAA 13, Rio Grande 6
Grant Steinborn started the first game on Sunday morning, earning the win after 5 innings of work. Neither team scored in the first 2 innings, but the Cardinals plated 3 runs in the top of the 3rd. Cole Southworth (JR/Decatur, MI) started the inning with a solo home run, Matthew Botti (JR/Decatur, MI) singled and later scored on an error, and Blaine Milheim was able to steal home. Rio Grande responded with a run in the bottom of the 3rd.
Concordia exploded for 7 runs in the top of the 4th inning, all of which were scored with 2 outs. Maxwell Hecht singled and eventually scored on a single from Matthew Botti. Vann Acker singled, scoring pinch runner Johnny Shields (FR/Howell, MI), and Ethan Vosburg hit a 3-RBI double scoring Matthew Botti, Vann Acker, and Blaine Milheim. Jordan Sherman (FR/Homer, MI) finished scoring in the inning with a 2-RBI double that scored Ethan Vosburg and Jake Moyer (FR/Hartland, Mi).
Rio Grande attempted to mount a comeback with 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th, cutting the Concordia lead to 10-5. Alex Phillips (FR/Tucson, AZ) came in to pitch for the Cardinals in the 6th inning, striking out 1 batter and stranding a base runner.
A 3-run homer by RJ Bortle (JR/Hartland, MI) in the top of the 7th extended the Concordia lead to 13-5. Billy Blair (SO/St. Charles, MI) came in to pitch for the Cardinals in the bottom of the 7th, allowing just one run to secure a 13-6 win for CUAA.
Game 4 – Rio Grande 4, CUAA 3
Brendan Lyons (JR/Woodhaven, MI) started on the mound for Concordia in the second game on Sunday afternoon. Lyons recorded a strikeout in the 1st inning as neither team scored a run.
Both teams scored a run in the 2nd inning. Preston Sherman drew a walk and advanced to second base on a passed ball. Chris Lowe (JR/DeWitt, MI) used a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third and a sacrifice fly by Jordan Sherman scored his brother, tying the game 1-1.
Each team scored one run in the 3rd inning as well. In the bottom of the 3rd, Blaine Milheim drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second after an Ethan Vosburg groundout. An RBI single from Preston Sherman scored Milheim to tie the game 2-2.
Tyson Kleinfelter (FR/Perrysburg, OH) came in to pitch for Concordia in the top of the 4th inning, recording three strikeouts, but Rio Grande was able to score a run to go up 3-2. Kleinfelter added 4 more strikeouts in the 5th and 6th innings, allowing no more runs.
The Cardinals tied the game in the bottom of the 6th inning. Preston Sherman reached on a walk, and a sacrifice bunt from Justin Mercer (SR/Howell, MI) advanced pinch runner Lucas McNinch. Cole Southworth hit an RBI single which scored McNinch, tying the game 3-3.
Ryan Abenth (SO/Saginaw, MI) and Jacob Henry (FR/Bloomfield Hills, MI) split time on the mound for Concordia in the top of the 7th inning. Rio Grande was able to score a run to go up 4-3, and while Ethan Vosburg reached second base in the bottom of the inning the Cardinals were not able to tie the game.
Concordia will play their next games when they travel to Wright State-Lake for a pair of doubleheaders on February 16 and 17. The first game of each doubleheader starts at 1pm.
