Bulldogs lose game one, rally for win in game two against Peru State

Concordia University and Peru State College split a pair of baseball games on Sunday afternoon in Seward.  It was the second straight day the teams met for two games.  The Bobcats took game one by the score of 6-4, and Concordia responded to win game two by the score of 4-3.  Concordia moved to 9-10 on the season following the split.   

Concordia’s late-inning rally attempt fell just short in game one.  Peru State jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first and third innings.  The Bulldogs got on the board in the bottom of the third.  Zak Goodrich (Lutz, Fla.) tripled with one out in the inning, and T.J. Conway (Crete, Neb.) drove him in with an RBI groundout.

The Bobcats took a 6-1 lead with two more runs in the fifth inning.  Concordia responded with two runs in the sixth to pull within three at 6-3.  Brandon Pflug (Ft. Morgan, Colo.) singled and scored on a 2-run homer by Dustin Matlock (Colorado Springs, Colo.).  The Bulldogs threatened to do more damage but left two runners on base in the inning. 

After a scoreless top of the seventh, Concordia made things interesting in the bottom of the inning.  Anthony Flores (Craig, Colo.) walked and advanced to second on a single by Pflug.  A Peru State throwing error scored Flores and advanced Pflug to third with two outs.  However, Tate Bedwell lined out to center to end the game. 

Both teams finished with nine hits in the contest.  Pflug went 3-for-4 with a run scored, and Goodrich was 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Bulldogs.  Caleb Taylor (2-2) took the loss on the mound.  He allowed the six runs (just two earned) on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout. 

Brendon Gentry and Matt Martin each had two hits for Peru State.  Andre Kinder picked up the win on the mound, allowing three runs on eight hits with two walks and 12 strikeouts in six innings of work. 

Concordia rallied late for the victory in game two.  The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning.  Pflug led off the inning with a single, and he advanced to second on a walk to Matlock.  Joe Brandenburg (Waconia, Minn.) advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt.  With two outs in the inning, Pflug scored on a wild pitch, and Martin Rodriguez (Tucson, Ariz.) brought home Matlock with an RBI single. 

Peru State quickly responded to tie the game in the fifth inning.  Alejandro Gonzales and Clayton French each delivered RBI singles in the inning for the Bobcats.  Peru State grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth with an unearned run. 

Concordia reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth.  Ryan George (Urbandale, Iowa) led off the inning with a walk.  A sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Josh Nance (Brighton, Colo.) to second base, and Nance advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Rodriguez was hit by a pitch, and a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Ivanoff (Tucson, Ariz.) put runners at second and third with two outs.  Goodrich followed with a clutch 2-run single to put the Bulldogs on top by the score of 4-3. 

A Concordia error allowed the Peru State leadoff hitter to reach in the top of the seventh.  However, Nick Thill (Littleton, Colo.) closed the door on the Bobcats and picked up his first save of the year for Concordia. 

The Bulldogs finished with six hits in the game.  Goodrich was 3-for-4 with the two big RBI’s.  Josh Anderson (Westminster, Colo.) picked up the win in relief for the Bulldogs.  Jordan Stirtz (Gretna, Neb.) worked the first 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. 

Concordia travels to York College on March 22.