KEY LINKS: LIVE STATS || WATCH LIVE (video webcast on Monday)
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul baseball team (14-10, 7-5 NSIC) takes on the Sioux Falls Cougars (16-20, 11-11) for their final home series at Bob Barnes Field on Sunday and Monday in four conference games with playoff implications. The Bears have not played on their home field yet this season due to the weather. Both doubleheaders will begin at noon.
LAST TIME OUT
Concordia-St. Paul picked up a 1-0 victory in the first game against Southwest Minnesota State on Thursday morning at Veterans Field on the campus of Minnetonka High School. In game two, Concordia pulled out a late-inning 3-2 win for the sweep.
RECORDS, RANKINGS and STANDINGS
The Golden Bears are sitting at 7-5 in conference play and in sixth place in the NSIC standings. Concordia stands percentage points ahead of Minnesota Duluth (8-6) and essentially two games ahead of Sioux Falls (11-11). With the expansion of the league this season, the top eight teams in the conference advance to the conference tournament. Two other teams vying for the final spots include the University of Mary (6-7) and Bemidji State (7-9). All of the teams have 10 games remaining except Sioux Falls, who has eight.
LUNCH ENTERS THE 300 WIN CLUB
Concordia head coach
Mark “Lunch” McKenzie claimed his 300th and 301st wins this past Thursday against SMSU. In his 14 seasons at the helm for the Golden Bears, Lunch has compiled a record of 301-234-1 and had winning records in eight of the past 11 seasons. Lunch has produced five All-Americans, 56 All-Conference and 66 All-Academic performers during his tenure.
RAIN OUTS & SNOW OUTS
Concordia's baseball team has had 12 games officially canceled - all during conference play - and two others suspended at the Metrodome and yet to be completed.
SERIES HISTORY
Concordia and Sioux Falls met for the first time last year at Barnes Field in mid-April in a four game non-conference series. The teams split the opening doubleheader with day two canceled.
GOLDEN BEAR SPOTLIGHT, #3 Trevon Bargfrede (OF, 6-4, 205, So., Jackson, Minn. / Jackson County Central HS)
Bargfrede has made an impact since joining the Bears starting lineup. He has gone 7-16 (.438) in his last seven games (starts in the last five) with three extra base hits, including two clutch home runs. The first of which was a go-ahead, game-winning home run in the top of the seventh against Winona State on April 7th in a 2-1 win, and the second was a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth in Thursday's game two against SMSU. Bargfrede has brought an element of speed, power and athleticism to the CU lineup. In his past two college stops he also played as a wide receiver on his school's football teams before coming to Concordia.
