DULUTH, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul (16-8, 9-6 NSIC) dropped a Sunday doubleheader at Minnesota Duluth (21-9, 14-4 NSIC) by scores of 13-12 and 9-8 at Bulldog Park. The Golden Bears lost the first game on a walk-off three-run homer and have now lost a season-high five straight road games.

The Golden Bear reserves nearly pulled off an improbable game two comeback powered by freshman Roch Whittaker's first career home run, a grand slam in a 5-run 8th inning. Concordia had trailed 9-2 in the sixth inning, emptying the dugout with the reserves proving Concordia's deep roster is also a talented one. Concordia used 22 players and two pitchers in the fourth game of the weekend series at UMD.

Concordia returns home on Wednesday against Northern State (11-14, 4-8 NSIC) to start a 10-game homestand. The Golden Bears are 8-1 at home on the season with all nine contests coming within the Northern Sun's regular season. The Wolves have lost eight in a row and are playing at home against Wayne State tomorrow after today's doubleheader was cancelled due to weather. The Wolves also host Prsentation on Thursday for a single 9-inning contest, making for a busy week for NSU baseball.

GAME 1: UMD 13, Concordia 12
The third game of the series and first game of a Sunday doubleheader featured runs in all seven frames between the two teams and Concordia scored at least a run in each inning from the second to the seventh innings. The game featured numerous twists and turns, starting with UMD jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning with two being unearned against starter Kody Knaus.

The teams each put a run across in the second inning with Concordia scoring on an RBI double by Carter Schmidt although UMD maintained the strong four run lead.

Schmidt went 3-5 in the game, scoring twice and driving in the run.

From there, Concordia turned the tables with a pair of runs in the third highlighted by an RBI single from Tanner Holmquist. He would go 1-3 with three RBI in the first game.

Knaus shut down UMD in the bottom of the inning to keep Concordia within two at 5-3.

In the fourth, Concordia grabbed the lead with a big four run inning on a two-run double by Eric Fasnacht and an RBI double by Ben Suits. Fasnacht went 2-4 with three runs and two RBI, also drawing a walk.

The big inning gave Concordia a 7-5 lead. The two starting pitchers' day would end after three innings as Knaus allowed three earned runs (five total) on seven hits while striking out five and walking just one. Kevin Stocke allowed seven runs (five earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

In the fourth, Concordia extended the lead with two more runs as the bottom of the order started a rally for the second straight inning with Schmidt and Andrew Shotwell delivering back-to-back singles to start each frame.

The Schmidt/Shotwell duo combined to go 6-9 with four runs and two RBI from the bottom of the lineup.

UMD's offense revived in the bottom of the fifth with Tyler Wojciechowski hitting a two-run homer followed by Spencer Diedrich's solo shot with no outs.

In the sixth, Concordia extended the lead back to two at 10-8 with an RBI triple by Shotwell but UMD responded once again with a pair of runs to knot the game at 10 entering the seventh.

With the 3-4-5 starting the seventh inning, Concordia received the benefit of good fortune as they reached on an error and Holmquist reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice with Fasnacht moving to second. Pinch hitting, Adam Hildebrandt was hit by pitch to load the bases for Ryan Poppitz, who hit a sacrifice fly into the right field foul corner to move up all three runners. An intentional walk to Alex LaPorte reloaded the bases with one out as Isaac Hormann added another sacrifice fly for a 12-10 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, UMD reached on a leadoff walk to Grant Farley before Josh Lenz retired UMD's top hitter Alex Wojciechowski on a liner to short. But a walk set up UMD relief pitcher Jimmy Heck for the walk-off three run homer to give himself the win on the mound.

Heck only worked the seventh on the hill, allowing two unearned runs. Lenz was tagged for his first loss, falling to 4-1 in what has otherwise been a fantastic junior year.

Concordia held A.Wojciechowski homerless for the first time of the series, although he did go 2-4 with a walk. His younger brother, Tyler went 2-4 with a homer and three RBI and Diedrich was 2-2 with three RBI to lead UMD.

GAME 2: UMD 9, Concordia 8
Concordia scored first in the series finale as Tanner Holmquist singled up the middle to drive in Connor Olson. Olson had led off the game with his 11th double to set the table for Holmquist.

UMD struck back quickly in the bottom of the inning as Alex Wojciechowski hit his 20th home run of the year and career record setting 40th homer for UMD to tie the game. He hit three homers in the four game series for UMD. Jimmy Heck added a two-run shot for the 3-1 UMD lead after one.

In the second, Concordia continued its inning scoring streak, pushing it to eight straight innings with a run when Carter Schmidt singled home Isaac Hormann but UMD answered with a run in the bottom of the inning as the Bulldogs scored at least a run in the first five innings of the series finale to open up a 9-2 lead.

Trailing 9-2 in the top of the sixth, senior Ryan Poppitz clubbed his third homer of the season.

In the bottom of the inning, Concordia turned to its reserves in what was appearing to be a clean UMD victory.

But the backups had a different vision starting with junior lefty reliever Erik Monson who shut down UMD the rest of the way to keep them at nine runs.

In the eighth inning, the bottom of Concordia's lineup sparked the team again as Cole Kirchoff led off with a walk, moved to second on a single by Alex Eernisse before Steven Nessler's two out single up the middle loaded the bases. A two out error allowed Kyle Horstmann to reach base with Kirchoff scoring on the play, setting up Roch Whittaker's grand slam to left field. Tom Austin followed with a two-out walk to put the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate.

But they wouldn't move a runner past first the rest of the way as a strikeout ended the inning. UMD closer Wes Mleziva was forced to work the ninth inning, getting the Golden Bears 1-2-3 for his fourth save in a dramatic finish to the series.

Hormann went 2-2 with a pair of doubles to give him six on the year and also scored a run in the game to lead Concordia's offense.

Heck closed out the series with a big day, going 3-3 with his 12th home run and added a triple with three RBI.

Woebke took his first loss, falling to 1-1 as he worked into the fifth inning with six of the nine runs against him being earned. He also picked off two more runners to give him six on the season.

Monson worked 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing a pair of hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

Marcus Frederickson picked up the win as he allowed three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and three walks over 6.0 innings.