Bulldogs open season with 6-2 and 6-4 losses to NW Oklahoma State
Northwestern Oklahoma State picked up a pair of baseball wins over Concordia University on Saturday. Scores of the games were 6-2 and 6-4. It was the opening games of the year for the Bulldogs, while the Rangers improved to 6-2 on the season with the wins.
In game one, Concordia opened the scoring with a single run in the top of the third. An RBI single by T.J. Conway (Crete, Neb.) put the Bulldogs on top 1-0. The host Rangers responded quickly and put three runs on the board in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead. Quinton Haynes had an RBI single, and Juan Natal knocked in two with a single in the NW Oklahoma State third inning.
Concordia cut the lead to one with a single run in the top of the fourth. Joe Brandenburg (Waconia, Minn.) drove in Dustin Matlock (Colorado Springs, Colo.) with a single to make the score 3-2.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the fifth. Following a single, stolen base and sacrifice fly, Kyle Weber delivered an RBI single to score Clint Dodds, and NW Oklahoma State grabbed a 4-2 lead. The Rangers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth for the final score of 6-2.
Concordia finished with just five hits in game one. Conway had two of the five hits. Steven Ivanoff (Tucson, Ariz.) suffered the loss on the mound after allowing four runs on nine hits with three walks in 4.2 innings of work.
In game two, Concordia jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Bulldogs had two hits in the inning and took advantage of a NW Oklahoma State error. The big hit of the inning was by Matlock, who delivered a two-run single to give Concordia the early advantage.
Concordia added another run in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Zak Goodrich (Lutz, Fla.) had an RBI on a fielder’s choice which scored Josh Nance.
The Rangers got back into the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Northwestern Oklahoma State had just one hit in the inning but took advantage of two Concordia errors to plate the two runs.
The Bulldogs responded with a single run in the top of the sixth. With one out in the inning, Ray Finley (Tucson, Ariz.) doubled. Martin Rodriguez (Tucson, Ariz.) followed with an RBI single which increased the Bulldog lead to 4-2.
The Rangers rallied in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on four hits and one Concordia error. The Rangers had an RBI single and two solo homers in the inning. A failed pickoff attempt and a wild pitch also proved costly for Concordia in the inning. The Bulldogs were unable to rally down the stretch, and the Rangers held on for the 6-4 win.
Concordia totaled eight hits in the second game. Finley and Goodrich had two hits apiece. Caleb Taylor (Georgetown, Texas) took the loss on the mound. The senior allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts in five innings of work.
Concordia and Northwestern Oklahoma State will play two more games on Sunday.