The Concordia University baseball team took one game one 11-9 before dropping game two in extra innings 14-13 to Briar Cliff University (Iowa), Monday at Memorial Field, Plum Creek Park in Seward, Neb.
In game one the two teams were locked at 1-1 going to the bottom of the third when Concordia (2-18, 1-3 GPAC) exploded for eight runs on seven hits, thanks in part to back to back homeruns. The first an inside the park home-run by senior BJ Juelfs and a solo shot to right field by junior Benjamin Ahlman. Junior Casey Rodriguez began the inning with a double and later added a two run double as 13 Bulldogs came to the plate in the innings as Concordia roared out to a 9-1 lead.
Briar Cliff (4-13, 3-1 GPAC) would then respond with their own 13 batter rally cutting the Concordia lead to 9-8, plating seven runs on six hits and two Bulldog errors. The big hit of the inning came when lead-off man, Chris Davis connected for a two RBI double. Davis scored when two batters later, Andrew Swank tripled to the left center gap.
Concordia relievers, freshmen Micah May and Troy Kane would then scatter one run over the next three innings as the Bulldog offense would extend the lead with two unearned runs to earn a hard fought 11-9 victory.
Bulldog starting pitcher, sophomore Brad Ramp picked up the victory for Concordia. Ramp threw three and two thirds innings, giving up eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits while striking out four. The Chargers Andy Keane was tagged with the loss, giving up five runs and six hits. Five of the six hits were extra base hits (three double and two homeruns).
In game two the offensive fireworks by both teams continued as Concordia jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead after two innings. Briar Cliff would again respond with four run rally that concluded with a two run triple by David Callahan to give the Chargers a 6-5 lead but that would not be the end of the scoring.
Concordia charged back in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Matt Specht was hit by a pitch and then later stole second. Specht then scored on a single by junior Jake Roberts, and after a Rodriguez strike out, sophomore Nate Schmoll took an Eric Fox fastball and deposited it over the left field fence to give the Bulldogs the lead at 8-6.
The Chargers would then surge out to an 11-8 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth before the Concordia offense again came alive. Sophomore Andrew Asmus started the two out rally with a pinch-hit base-hit. Rodriguez followed up Asmus with a ringing single up the middle, bringing up the hot swinging Schmoll who came through with another RBI single. Schmoll then showed his baseball smarts by taking second on an errant throw by the Charger defense. Junior Jack Holmberg then connected for the fourth straight Bulldog base hit to plate the tying runs.
The two teams would trade two run seventh innings before Briar Cliff took the lead for good in the top of the eighth inning. Chargers lead off hitter Davis walked and stole second and advanced to third on a base hit. Briar Cliff's Swank again struck, this time with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Davis from third. The Concordia offense would be held hitless and scoreless in the bottom of the eighth as Briar Cliff held on for the 14-13 victory.
The Bulldogs were led offensively in game two by Schmoll who went 4-for-5 with four RBI's while Holmberg also had four RBI's on 2-for-5 hitting.
Concordia will play York College in a non-conference match-up Thursday, March 27 before heading to South Dakota for four GPAC games, first a double header with the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday before taking on Mt. Marty on Sunday.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score