minneapolis, minn. - in game one, concordia university (3-6) dropped a 3-2 one run loss to kansas wesleyan (3-5) on thursday afternoon at metrodome before a strong pitching performance by junior nick anderson (plymouth, minn.) propelled cu to a 2-1 win in game two. In the first game, concordia trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning before a two run bases loaded single by sophomore ben lemke (rosemount, minn.) tied the game. Lemke was also the pitcher of record game one, taking the loss as he was removed after facing one batter in the seventh allowing him to reach on error with the runner coming into score. game 1 box - game 2 box
game 1: kansas wesleyan 3, cu 2
lemke worked six-plus innings allowing two earned runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in a solid performance. He falls to 0-2 on the season, however, despite the quality start. He also was leading 1-0 in the fourth inning against st. Cloud state earlier in the year before the game was suspended due to time limits, an outing that is not yet counted on his 2010 totals.
at the plate, lemke was 2-3 with a pair of rbi to increase his early batting average to .500 as he looks to solidify a place in the lineup on a regular basis. Also producing a 2-3 game was senior brenden furrow (johnston, iowa) who increased his average to .429 and scored a run with his fourth double of the season. Concordia's only other hit was freshman centerfielder zach goodwin's (mahtomedi, minn.) first collegiate hit. He also scored a run for cu.
aaron converse earned his first win of the year for kwu, improving to 1-1 with a complete game allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. He retired the first 10 batters before concordia started to put their hard hit outs into play for hits late.
travis irwin homered for kwu, a high fly down the left field line for the game's first run out of the eighth spot in the order. The ninth batter, nick hartzell, was 2-3 with their other lone rbi as the final run was scored on an error on a squeeze bunt with two down in the seventh.
in that seventh inning, concordia was charged with two fielding errors at the hot corner leading to the two runs. To leadoff the inning, a hot shot to third was misplayed by furrow leading to a three base error. Although reliever chris peterson (so., st. Anthony, minn.) worked through the first two outs in the seventh in relief of lemke with his runner on third, a dropped-down surprise bunt was misplayed off the glove of furrow alowing the run to score.
peterson struck out one and didn't allow any other runners to reach and threw nine pitches all for strikes in the inning.
game 2: cu 2, kansas wesleyan 1
both teams stalled at the plate in the opening three innings as anderson retired his first seven batters including an unconventional 1-9-6 put out at first base on what would've been a three base throwing error by the right handed pitcher, but a successful appeal by concordia caught baserunner kyle lynch for missing first base.
offensively, concordia had just one single in the first three innings as well, a liner to center by junior sam fagely (mahtomedi, minn.) in the second with two outs.
concordia got going in the fourth with a leadoff single up the middle by lippincott. With a 1-2 count, the imposing lefty played defense with his bat, placing the single between kwu's middle infielders for a finesse hit. He stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher giving concordia a runner on third with no outs for the first real scoring threat of the game.
lippincott scored on a foul out down the right field line by furrow as kurri darby slid over the foul line to make the catch allowing lippincott to trot home easily for the game's first run.
in the bottom of the inning, kwu struck back with a one out single by ronny romo. He advanced to third on the next play when kyle hook single to right field. Furrow came up with a strong throw to third and seemingly had a play on romo, but lippincott cut the ball off and gunned to junior blake devries (eden prairie, minn.) at first to catch hook taking a big turn.
romo on third with two outs scored when lynch delivered a third consecutive hit off anderson to centerfield to tie the score.
andserson took it personally and took matters into his own hands, striking out one in the fifth before catching the third out stealing to end the inning. In the sixth, anderson allowed a one out single and a stolen base but baffled the coyote bats for a pair of strikeouts looking to end the inning.
in the top of the seventh, lemke led off with a single in between the second baseman and the base into right center. With a solid lead off first, hook tried to catch lemke off the base on a pitch out, pickoff attempt but the throw sailed past first base and down the right field line allowing lemke to slide safely into third. Lemke was injured on the play and had to leave the game.
a pop-out by s.fagely brought freshman hogan jackson (oakdale, minn.) to the plate with one out and the go-ahead run 90 feet away. Jackson delivered a liner to center that hung up just long enough for the out, but scored pinch runner j.t. Schneider (fr., oak creek, wis.) to give concordia the lead.
in the bottom of the seventh, anderson kept fate in his own hands, not risking the two errors in the seventh that doomed concordia in game one. Anderson struck out the first two batters swinging before catching irwin looking to end the game.
anderson improved to 2-1 on the season in his fifth appearance and second start. He struck out eight over seven innings of one run ball to lower his earned run average to 2.84 for his 11th career victory. He didn't walk anyone and threw nearly 70% of his pitches for strikes in impressive fashion.
he outdueled matt royal who was solid in his complete game loss. He scattered five hits allowing one earned run with five strikeouts and one walk.
furrow and lemke each hit safely for the third straight game with furrow hitting .433 with a team-high eight rbi while lemke is hitting .455 with three rbi in just 11 at bats.
jackson picked up his first career hit in game two, going 1-2 with his first rbi.
the two one run games give concordia eight one run decisions in nine completed games while their 1-0 lead in the middle of the fourth inning is a suspended game that the teams intend to finish at a later date, giving them nine out of 10 one-run games thus far in 2010.
concordia completes their february slate with a 3-6 overall record pending the outcome of that suspended scsu game. They return to action for their 2010 spring trip to orlando, fla. When they'll play eight games from march 6-13 with five of those being in-region contests and all against division ii opposition.
upon returning from the trip, they'll open nsic play at augustana in sioux falls, s.d. For a four game weekend series on march 20-21. They return home for a non-conference doubleheader on march 24 for their 2010 home opener at barnes field against minnesota duluth at 2:00 p.m.
