WAYNE, Neb. - The Concordia University baseball team (27-14) won its second NSIC Tournament title and first since 2003, defeating host and top seed, #15 Wayne State (40-11) 10-6 on Sunday afternoon in the championship game at Pete Chapman Complex. The Golden Bears earn the NSIC automatic qualifier to the NCAA Central Regional Tournament on May 15-18. Official pairings and site will be released by the NCAA Sunday evening.
Concordia opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning, using singles by Joe Abellera (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) and Chris Herbert (Jr., White Bear Lake, Minn.), along with three Wayne State errors, to grab a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats countered with four runs in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 advantage as Wayne State put together three hits, coupled with two Golden Bear errors. Marc Manganaro produced a two-run single to left field, scoring Brian Sulzman and Matt Dunn.
The Golden Bears knotted the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs when Jake Waldman (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) singled up the middle scoring Derek Mason (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.), who had reached on a walk and Abellera, who had singled to third base.
Concordia took the lead for good with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for an 8-4 lead. John Maciej (Sr., Elk River, Minn.), Mason and Abellera each accounted for run-scoring singles to highlight the Golden Bears four-run inning.
Wayne State plated a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to make the score 8-6. Manganaro and Alex Koch laced back-to-back doubles for the first run with Koch scoring on Nick Bidroski's RBI single for the second run of the inning. But Concordia brought in All-NSIC pitcher Jake Schmidt (Jr., Oakdale, Minn.) in the top of the eighth inning to preserve the lead and he did just that.
The Golden Bears added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on singles by Ted Farni (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.), Waldman and Brenden Furrow (Sr., Johnston, Iowa) as Concordia went on to post the 10-6 win over Wayne State.
The Golden Bears pounded out 16 hits on four different Wildcat pitchers as each starter in the game finished with at least one hit. Joe Abellera, Brenden Furrow and Jake Schmidt each went 3 for 5 at the plate to pace Concordia in hitting.
Wayne State finished with 12 hits in the game with Joe Wendte going 3 for 5 at the plate. Alex Koch and Marc Manganaro each recorded a double and single while Nick Bidroski finished with two singles for the Wildcats.
Schmidt pitched 2.0 innings in relief to earn his second save of the season and was named the Most Valuable Pitcher of the tournament. Freshman Nick Anderson (Plymouth, Minn.) earned the win pitching 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Reliever Chad Moreland suffered the pitching loss for Wayne State, allowing five runs on seven hits in just two-thirds of an inning in place of starter Jared Hegdahl.
Concordia had five players named to the NSIC All-Tournament Team, highlighted by the tournament Most Valuable Player, Brenden Furrow and the tournament's Most Valuable Pitcher, Jake Schmidt. Catcher Chris Herbert, pitcher Blake Devries (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and outfielder Ted Farni also made the team.
note - this will be the first NCAA regional appearance for any Concordia men's athletic team. The Concordia women have competed in 13 NCAA regionals in women's basketball, volleyball and softball.
2008 NSIC All-Tournament Team
catcher - Chris Herbert, Concordia-St. Paul
designated hitter - Mike Wagner, Bemidji State
first base - Marc Manganaro, Wayne State
second base - Nick Bidroski, Wayne State
shortstop - Travis Mather, Upper Iowa
third base - Alex Koch, Wayne State
outfielders (3) -
Brenden Furrow, Concordia-St. Paul
Ted Farni, Concordia-St. Paul
Joe Wendte, Wayne State
pitchers (4) -
Nick Schumacher, Wayne State
Jake Schmidt, Concordia-St. Paul
Blake Devries, Concordia-St. Paul
Adam Schrader, Southwest Minnesota State
Most Valuable Player - Brenden Furrow, CSP
Most Valuable Pitcher - Jake Schmidt, CSP
