FAYETTE, Iowa - The four game losing came to end on Wednesday afternoon as Concordia (16-11, 1-3 NSIC) split the double header with Upper Iowa (11-20, 3-3 NSIC). Concordia got a pair of home runs from Katie Anderson (Mendota Heights, Minn.) who homered in each game. Cassie Bertlesen (Oakdale, Minn.) drove in the go ahead run in the first game as CU picked up the 6-2 win, they fell in game two 3-2 as the Golden Bears couldn't overcome a fifth inning run.
GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
GAME 1
Katie Anderson led off the top of the first with a homerun to right center putting up CU 1-0. Calli Brennan (Mendota Heights, Minn.) had a double to center and then Erin Tjornhom (Eagan, Minn.) drew a walk putting runners on first and second, before back to back ground outs ended the inning. The Peacocks got two unearned runs in the bottom of the second as a runner reached on a two out single with two runners on. One run scored via the error and then another run came across on a single.
After a scoreless second inning Tjornhom connected with two our homerun to left field, tying the game up at two. Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) stranded a runner a third in the third failing to regain the lead. Concordia had runners on first and second but Anderson flew out to right stranding runners on base. The Peacocks also left two runners on in the fourth as the game went to the fifth still tied at two.
Concordia again threatened in the fifth but two runners were cut down on base and failed to score. Upper Iowa went down in order in the sixth, the first time Kluever had been able to do so all game. Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) reached via an error by the short stop, with two outs when Bertlesen singled to center field scoring Larsen and putting CU up 3-2 headed to the bottom of the sixth. UIU went down in order again in the sixth as CU took a 3-2 lead headed to the seventh inning.
Anderson singled up the middle and then advanced to third after Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) attempted to sacrifice and reached on an error. Meiser then stole second putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Brennan doubled to right field scoring both. After a strikeout, Larsen singled to score Brennan and giving CU a 6-2 lead headed to the bottom of the seventh.
GAME 2
In the top of the first inning Concordia went down in order. The Peacocks drew back to back walks to start their half of the inning, and would push across a run on a one out ground out to second. CU again went down in order in the second inning as well. Upper Iowa picked up an unearned run in the second inning to go up 2-0.
The Golden Bears picked up their first base runner of the game in the third inning but they could not get a run across, they had an even bigger threat in the fourth when they got their first hit of the game from Brennan and then Tjornhom walked putting the first two runners of the inning on base. Three straight outs ended the threat and Upper Iowa took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth. Stephanie Kappes (Circle Pines, Minn.) kept CU in the game by keeping the Peacocks off the board and Anderson hit her second homerun in as many games bringing CU within one. Meiser singled and stole second before Brennan doubled her in to tie the game at two.
Upper Iowa picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth inning as they picked up a run thanks to a walk and hit by pitch. After a quiet sixth inning for both teams Concordia had one more shot to tie up the game in the top of the seventh. Bertlesen drew a walk to start the inning and after two quick out Brennan reached on an error and then Tjornhom walked to load the bases up. Larsen came to the plate with chance to tie the game but she grounded out to first ending the game.
Up next for the Golden Bears will be home fore a pair of back to back double headers against Northern State and U-Mary at Carlander Field on Saturday and Sunday.
