The Concordia University baseball team weathered a tough test in a 9-5 victory over the Doane College Tigers Tuesday night in non-conference action at Plum Creek Park in Seward, Neb.
Doane struck early as the first three batters all rattled off singles, scoring one run. The Bulldogs avoided further damage when Concordia's starting pitcher, Caleb Taylor, was able to get Doane's Tyler Johnson to ground into a double play.
The Bulldogs finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jack Holmberg ripped a one-out triple into the right-center field gap. Holmberg scored when Nate Comes sent a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game 1-1.
The Bulldogs would move ahead of the Tigers in the fifth inning. Joe Bercerra got a three-run rally started for Concordia with a ringing single to right field. The Bulldogs eventually took the lead 2-1 when Morgan Blatnik sent a slow grounder toward the Doane shortstop who failed to throw home in time to beat Bulldogs' runner coming in from third. The Bulldogs increased their lead to 4-1 when Casey Rodriguez' single allowed two more runs to score.
Doane began a rally of its own in the top of the sixth inning when the Tigers' second baseman reached base via an error on the Bulldogs. Anthony Hincy followed that up with a single. Concordia then found the bases full of Tigers when Tyler Johnson reached on another error by Concordia. Taylor settled down enough to strike out the next two Doane hitters. The Bulldogs' hurler looked like he was escaping the inning with minimal damage, but Doane's Jason West put an end to those hopes. West ripped a full-count pitch into right field, scoring Doane's runners from second and third. Johnson was cut down trying to score all the way from first when Concordia shortstop Casey Rodriguez took a throw from Comes and threw home, beating Johnson to the plate by four steps. The out kept Concordia's lead intact at 4-3.
Concordia seemed ready to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring five runs on five hits. Doane decided to make the game interesting in the top of the ninth, however, scoring two quick runs to cut the Concordia lead to 9-5. The Tigers then loaded the bases with two outs and brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Hincy. The Doane shortstop then fought out three full-count pitches to add to the drama. Finally Concordia pitcher Jacob Yurich was able to get Hincy to send a lazy fly ball into right field to end the game.
Taylor picked up his first win of the season, moving his record to 1-4 in 2009. Taylor threw five complete innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits in his best outing of the season. Yurich picked up his first save of 2009 in his brief appearance in the ninth inning. Jacob Bartek was given the loss for the Tigers. He went five complete innings, giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits.
With the win the Bulldogs move to 10-27 overall while Doane falls to 13-24. Concordia will host Dordt College on Friday, April 17, and Morningside on Saturday, April 18. Saturday's game against Morningside is designated as senior day for the Bulldogs with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.