ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul baseball team (18-8, 11-6 NSIC) returned to its winning ways by opening an 8-game homestand at Barnes Field with a Wednesday sweep of Northern State (11-16, 4-10 NSIC), winning each game 8-3. The doubleheader sweep improved the Golden Bears to 10-1 at home on the year and snapped a season-long five game losing streak. It also extended Northern State's losing streak to 10 games.

The Golden Bears remain at home this weekend for a four game series against Minnesota State (18-11, 9-6 NSIC) with the Mavericks scheduled to play its mid-week doubleheader tomorrow at Upper Iowa at 1:30 p.m.

Concordia hit four home runs in the doubleheader including three in a 4-run fourth inning in game one. Concordia didn't trail in the doubleheader, putting up multiple runs in the second and fourth innings of each game to build 6-1 and 7-0 leads, respectively.

Freshman Isaac Hormann had a big day at the plate, going 5-6 with a double, homer, two runs, three RBI and a walk for a .833/.857/1.500 slash line. Sophomore Andrew Shotwell drove in a team-high four runs in the doubleheader, bringing home two each game as he went 3-7 with a double and home run on the day.

GAME 1: Concordia 8, Northern State 3
Junior left handed starter Josh Lenz, who won his first start of the year last Wednesday at #1 St. Cloud State, opened the doubleheader in trouble as the Wolves loaded the bases in the first inning before inducing a grounder to work out of trouble. That started a string of seven straight outs for Lenz, who worked five strong innings for Concordia.

In the bottom of the second, Concordia grabbed the first lead of the day when freshman Isaac Hormann smashed an RBI single to center in a two-run inning.

After setting down seven straight, Lenz ran into trouble in the fourth with a leadoff walk and an RBI double to the first two batters. he then settled back in, retiring the next three Wolves including a pair of swinging strikeouts to hold the 2-1 lead.

The offense backed him in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Tanner Holmquist hit a one-out homer to left. Freshman Carter Schmidt drew a two out walk allowing sophomore Andrew Shotwell to hit a two-run homer, his second of the year. Sophomore Connor Olson followed with a solo shot to center. Holmquist and Olson each hit their team-leading eighth home run of the year in the inning.

In the fifth, Lenz once again allowed the first two batters to do some damage allowing a single and two-run homer to cut the lead to 6-3. Once again, he rebounded well by retiring the next three including another swinging strikeout.

With Concordia tacking on another run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by freshman Ben Suits, Lenz's day would come to a close.

He improved to 5-1 as he pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. He struck out five and threw 55 of 81 pitches for strikes.

Junior right hander Jake Kounkel was solid in relief, pitching 2.0 shutout innings allowing a hit and a walk with three strikeouts. to preserve the victory.

Shotwell added a double in the sixth inning, scoring the eight run on a wild pitch. He was 2-3 with two extra base hits, his third double and second homer while scoring and driving in two runs. Hormann was also 2-3 in the game, driving in a run.

Concordia faced Northern State's top pitcher Colton Boucher as the Wolves had last weekend off with a weather cancellation. Boucher went 4.0 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts to fall to 4-2.

Kolin Kubitz led NSU at the plate, going 2-4 with his third home run of hte year to drive in two runs while Ben Allen went 2-3 with an RBI and his fifth double.

GAME 2: Concordia 8, Northern State 3
While the script wasn't identical, the second game storyline mirrored game one as the Wolves threatened with two on in the top of the first to start the game before redshirt freshman right handed starter Keanu Mendez induced an inning ending ground out. In the second, he induced a double play to work around a two single inning for the Wolves.

In the bottom of the inning, the offense provided the support as the first five batters reached base with senior Ryan Poppitz leading off with a double to the left field corner, his third double of the year. Isaac Hormann drove in the first run two batters later with a single down the left field line, and after a bunt hit by sophomore Adam Hildebrandt, Andrew Shotwell drove in two more runs with a single to center field. Concordia scored its fourth run on a fielder's choice ground out by Alex LaPorte who would proceed to steal his fifth base of the year before being retired on the bases to end the inning.

Mendez pitched 5.0 solid innings for Concordia, allowing just one run in the fifth inning. He pitched well with runners on base, as the Wolves would strand nine runners in his five frames including five in scoring position. He would improve to 4-1 on the year with the win.

Prior to allowing the fifth inning run, Concordia tacked three more runs on Northern State in the fourth inning with senior Eric Fasnacht hitting an RBI single into right center followed by a run coming home on a wild pitch and an RBI ground out by Ben Suits. Fasnacht went 2-4 with his eighth double, his fourth stolen base, a run and an RBI.

The final run support for Mendez came in the bottom of the fifth on a leadoff home run by Hormann, his second of the year to extend the lead to 8-1. Hormann went 3-3 with a walk, two runs and two RBI in the second game to increase his season average to a team-high .371 while also adding his seventh double.

Senior right handed relief pitcher Tyler Schmitz entered the game in the sixth and continued his strong past week of pitching as he finished the game, working 4.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. He was efficient, using just 46 pitches including 36 for strikes to earn his first save in the extended work.

Concordia held NSU's lineup without a multi-hit performance in game two.

Dillon Lee took the loss for Northern State in his second start (10th overall appearance) to fall to 0-2 on the year. He allowed four runs on seven hits and a pair of walks with two strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.

In the doubleheader, Concordia held one of the league's top hitters entering play, Jack Schmidt to 1-6 hitting to lower his average from .500 (50-100) to .481 while Matt Stubbs, a .443 (43-97) hitter entering play went just 1-8 to lower his average to .419.

Golden Bear pitchers held NSU to .256/.338/.393 (15-61) hitting on the day with five extra base hits despite the Wolves entering play with a team .331/.405/.523 season line.

Concordia, meanwhile produced on the afternoon to a .317/.414/.583 (19-60) slash with eight extra base hits.