Bulldogs nab 1-0 win over Northwestern, fall 4-3 in extra innings in game two

Bulldogs nab 1-0 win over Northwestern, fall in game two, 4-3, in nine innings

The Concordia University, Nebraska, baseball team split a doubleheader with Northwestern on Saturday, April 21.  The Bulldogs took game one, 1-0, with a run in the final frame.  Game two continued to be a back and forth affair as Concordia fell 4-3 in nine innings. 

Following the split, the Bulldogs are 22-23 on the season and 7-7 in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) action.  The Red Raiders, meanwhile, are now 24-20 overall and 8-8 in the GPAC.

Game One:  Concordia 1, Northwestern 0

The first game was a pitcher's duel featuring junior Jeremiah Luber (Waverly, Neb.) and Northwestern's Ryan Brasser.  Concordia was held to just three hits through the first six innings, while the Red Raiders managed just four in the contest.  

The game remained scoreless entering the bottom of the fifth, when Luber issued back-to-back two out walks to put runners at first and second. 

Concordia head coach Jeremy Geidel didn't hesitate, calling sophomore Heath Benker (Florence, Colo.) from the bullpen.  Benker responded by inducing an inning ending ground out. He also worked a scoreless sixth inning, sending it to the seventh still scoreless. 

With one out in the seventh, senior Martin Rodriguez (Tucson, Ariz.) dropped a bunt single down the third base line.  Senior Tate Bedwell (Colorado Springs, Colo.) followed with a single into left field to send Rodriguez to second.  Following a pitching change, senior Zak Goodrich (Lutz, Fla.) laced an RBI single into left to bring home Rodriguez.  

In the seventh, Concordia turned to senior Josh Anderson (Westminster, Colo.) to close the game.  Anderson delivered a perfect final frame to earn his fifth save, a Concordia single-season record. 

Benker earned the win (3-1) with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.  Brasser fell to 5-3 with the loss, allowing one run on five hits and three walks in 6.1 innings. 

Game Two:  Northwestern 4, Concordia 3 (nine Innings)

Northwestern's offense returned to the field with something to prove in game two, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.  

Concordia chipped away at the deficit in the third, plating an unearned run on an RBI single from junior Kyle Ivanoff (Tucson, Ariz.).  

The next two Bulldog at-bats featured stellar offense execution.  In both the fourth and the fifth innings, Concordia converted a leadoff walk into a run via a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single.  Rodriguez punched an RBI single to left field to knot the game at 2-2 in the fourth.  In the fifth, junior Nolan Schaefer (Lincoln, Neb.) delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to boost Concordia to a 3-2 advantage. 

Concordia held its 3-2 lead into the seventh, then turned things over to Anderson.  Unfortunately Anderson surrendered the tying run on two hits to send the game to extra innings.

The Bulldogs appeared ready to reclaim the lead with back-to-back singles in the eighth, but Concordia could not come up with the clutch hit.

Northwestern took advantage, claiming the game with a run on three walks and a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

Senior Paul Rowlett (Lodgepole, Neb.) suffered the loss (0-3), allowing one run on two hits and a walk in one inning of relief. 

Northwestern's Eddie Pantzlaff nabbed the win (2-2) with three innings of scoreless relief, limiting the Bulldogs to three hits.

The Bulldogs return to the diamond on Sunday, April 22 as Concordia faces Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa at 1:30 p.m. for a doubleheader.