Game One: MSSU 7, CU 2
The Lions jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning against senior right hander Ben Lemke (Rosemount, Minn.). Lemke allowed a leadoff single and the runner would advance to second on a wild pitch before he settled in and retired the next two hitters.

With two out and a runner on second, Southern cleanup hitter M.J. Sartin blooped a pop-up into shallow right center in between second baseman Kyle Dalton(Minnetonka, Minn.) and center fielder Greg Larpenter (Urbandale, Iowa), scoring the game's first run. After the hard-luck RBI-single off Lemke, MSSU settled in and delivered a single and two more doubles in the inning to plate five total runs.

It was all they needed as left hander Brett Abell was excellent early on, striking out the first four batters of the game and pitching three no-hit innings. Concordia pushed an unearned run across in the fourth as junior Paul Giel (Minnetonka, Minn.) led off the inning with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Logan Bouts (Hopkins, Minn.).

Senior Kris Long (Rochester, Minn.) drove an RBI-double to left center field in the fifth inning to bring them within three runs but they left runners in scoring position in each inning as Abell worked out of a pair of jams before his afternoon ended.

MSSU scored two more in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim their five run lead, allowing Ethan Stenger to work the final two frames in relief.

Abell earned the win, striking out eight in five innings, allowing two hits and a walk with one earned run. Stenger was perfect in two innings with one strikeout.

Lemke took the loss, pitching into the fifth inning despite the rocky first frame. He struck out four and walked two. Two of the seven runs against him were unearned. Sophomore right hander Adam Kramer (Wausau, Wis.) was solid in relief, pitching 1.2 perfect innings on just 13 pitches.

Long and Giel had Concordia's only hits which both helped Concordia score. Giel was 1-3 with a run while Long was 1-3 with an RBI.

Game 2: MSSU 2, CU 1 (9 innings)
The Lions struck first again in game two as the visiting team, scoring a run in the top of the third, an unearned run that scored with a two-out single.

The Golden Bears threated in the first when senior third baseman Bryan Lippincott(Des Moines, Iowa) laced a two-out double to left center, hustling to slide in safely ahead of the throw.

Lippincott smashed his second double in his next at bat in the fourth with one out, a towering fly ball that one-hopped the wall in left field, again to the opposite field. He scored as Bouts delivered an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.

The game remained knotted and went to extra innings at 1-1.

MSSU threatened with a runner on third in the fifth inning after a one-out double but that was their only baserunner from the fourth through seventh innings as right handers Chris Peterson (St. Anthony, Minn.) and Andy Fagely (Mahtomedi, Minn.) combined with a solid effort on the hill.

Peterson started and went five innings, facing MSSU's lineup twice thru. He allowed just three hits and one unearned run, striking out five with just one walk on 76 pitches.

Fagely came in and retired the first seven batters he faced to put the game in extra innings.

While Peterson and Fagely took care of the Lions' hitters, Concordia's offense was unable to capitalize on multiple opportunities to claim the lead.

They stranded a runner on third in the fifth, runners on first and second in the sixth and a runner on second in the seventh inning as they left a runner in scoring position in three straight innings to put the game in extra's.

MSSU starter Cody Griebling carried a low pitch count throughout the game, allowing him to pitch out of the jams.

In extra innings, Concordia's only runner was a two-out walk to Lippincott in the eighth. Lippincott went 2-2 with two doubles and two walks in the game, also walking in the sixth.

The Lions rallied in the eighth, finally getting their first hit off Fagely but leaving a runner on second as Fagely induced back-to-back ground-outs. In the ninth, MSSU's Michael McCoy reached with a leadoff single, moved him to second with a bunt and he advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, he scored on a sacrifice fly to left field to score the go-ahead run.

Fagely was excellent despite taking the loss. He pitched four full innings, allowing two hits and a run. He struck out four and didn't issue any walks while throwing just 48 pitches.

But Fagely and Peterson were out-dueled by Griebling as he went the distance hurling nine innings, allowing a run on six hits with four strikeouts. His final pitch count was just 95.

Senior Troy DuBay (Urbandale, Iowa) also had a two-hit game, going 2-4 while Long had his second 1-3 game to start the year.

The Golden Bears are off until their spring trip to Tucson, Ariz. where they'll play eight games from March 4 thru 10 including four non-conference games against Southwest Minnesota State. They return to Metrodome for a non-conference doubleheader against Northern State on March 15.