minneapolis, minn. - concordia university trailed st. Cloud state 7-1 heading into the top of the seventh inning facing their last three outs. After back-to-back pinch hit doubles, the golden bears had life, and when junior dh blake devries (eden prairie, minn.) stepped up to the plate, there were two on and he represented the tying run. He blasted a pitch over the metrodome's "baggie" in right center to the game at seven. In the top of the 12th, devries led off with a solo lined shot to dead center, another tape measure shot, to break the 7-7 score. But scsu's joey benke hit a two run homer in the bottom of the 12th for a walk-off husky victory in game one. Game two was suspended due to time constraints at metrodome with cu leading 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. game 1 box - game 2 box
game 1: st. Cloud state 9, concordia 8 (12)
the golden bears fell behind early as the huskies opened things up with a six run third inning, five of the runs being unearned with a pair of errors for a hard luck outing for redshirt freshman right hander andy fagely (mahtomedi, minn.) who was making his first career start.
fagely was done after three, allowing one earned run and striking out five but surrendered seven hits and walked a pair.
the golden bears got a run back in the fourth, with sophomore shortstop bryan lippincott (des moines, iowa) leading off with a hustle double down the left field line, poking it over the infield. He came in to score when sophomore first baseman logan bouts (hopkins, minn.) delivered an rbi single to right with two outs.
scsu upped their lead back to six runs in the fifth with a bases loaded walk against sophomore left hander cody wilcoxson (aurora, colo.). Wilcoxson relieved fagely and was solid, pitching 2.0 innings allowing a run on two hits. He did walk two and hit one batter, though.
the seventh inning rally for concordia started with a pinch hit leadoff double down the left field line by senior ryan iverson (spring lake park, minn.) and he scored when sophomore bryan hunt (north st. Paul, minn.) doubled down the right field line. A walk and a hit by pitch to the top of the order set the table full for senior right fielder brenden furrow (johnston, iowa). Furrow hit an infield rbi single to second, keeping things loaded with no outs for bouts with two runs already in.
bouts drove in a run when he grounded into a fielder's choice, cutting the score to 7-4, bringing up devries.
the devries homer was his second of the year, and was such a thundering shot that he'd be intentionally walked with two outs and a runner on second in the ninth when he came up next. But when he came up again in the 12th as the leadoff hitter, he took his first pitch over the 408 sign in center for his third homer of the year.
once the game was knotted at seven, concordia turned to junior right hander nick anderson (plymouth, minn.) to keep things moving on the mound. Anderson was outstanding, shutting out scsu for five innings, striking out five despite five walks (three intentional). He showed poise, allowing the leadoff man to reach in four of the five inning before working out of the jams.
but in the 12th, pat wolard led off with a high fly to deep center. Centerfielder jon stockton (jr., oakdale, minn.) retreated but just missed getting to the ball. Wolard cruised around the bases for a leadoff triple setting up the benke homer, which off the bat at best for cu was a game-tying sacrifice fly, but the ball sailed over the "baggie" for a game-winning shot.
anderson took the loss for cu, falling to 0-1. Scsu had their own nick anderson who got the win in relief, allowing a run in two innings.
scsu starter david deminsky struck out five over 5.0 innings allowing one run on four hits with three walks, but the golden bears started getting to him late.
scsu also turned to starting pitcher logan birr for four innings of relief, allowing a run with six strikeouts.
devries went 2-5 at the plate with two homers and four rbi while hunt went 2-4 off the bench with a run and an rbi for cu's only two-hit performances.
benke went 2-5 with three rbi for scsu.
concordia used 14 players and five pitchers in the game while scsu 19 players and six pitchers - a full 25 man roster in the big leagues. Five players occupied the scsu dh spot which was the sixth spot in the lineup. Five players occupied the eight-spot which started as second baseman kyle gold.
the game lasted 3:47.
game 2: concordia 1, st. Cloud state 0 (4th inning)
sophomore righty ben lemke (rosemount, minn.) was in control on the hill for cu when the teams were forced to leave mall of america field. He scattered three hits and struck out three without issuing any walks while hurling 37 of his 50 pitches for strikes.
concordia scored in the third when hunt led off with a walk and advanced two bases on a failed pickoff attempt by shawn riesgraf. He scored when lippincott lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.
the golden bears also had a scoring threat in the second when junior third baseman kyle richardson (north st. Paul, minn.) hit a two out double but was stranded. They had a two out single by furrow in the first as well.
game two's duration was just 48 minutes at the time of suspension.
