TOPEKA, Kan. – Concordia St. Paul baseball dropped both games on Sunday to the Washburn (Kan.) Ichabods at Falley Field. The Golden Bears move to 0-3 in the series with one game remaining.
In game one,
Bryce Nelson led the Golden Bears (0-2, 0-0 NSIC) with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate with an RBI and a run. The Ichabods (4-7, 0-0 MIAA) used a four-run opening inning to set the tone of the game to capture the 7-3 victory.
In game two, CSP newcomer
Noah Juliar led the Golden Bears (0-3, 0-0 NSIC) with the first home run of the 2023 season. Washburn (5-7, 0-0 MIAA) claimed the series with a game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
GAME 1: CSP 3, Washburn 7
Washburn struck first with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Ichabods used a two-RBI single to record the first two runs of the game, followed by a CSP fielding error to double their lead later in the inning.
Bryce Nelson gave the Golden Bears their first hit of the game in the second inning with a single to second base, which advanced
Jaden Werner into scoring position. A walk from
Jack Greenlun loaded the bases, but Ichabods pitcher would get out of the jam without any damage and left runners stranded on all three bases.
The Ichabods added an RBI single through the right side of the infield in the third inning to extend their lead to 5-0.
The Golden Bears ended their scoring drought in the sixth inning with a trio of runs. The first run came after
Kal Brohmer used a sacrifice fly to drive in
Brayden Roybal from third. The second run came from an RBI single from Nelson that drove in
Nick Thimsen. The final run of the inning came from an RBI single from
Michael Sturek, which pushed Nelson home.
Washburn added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-RBI double to right center field and held the Golden Bears scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Notables
Nelson finished 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI, run, stolen base, and walk.
Roybal and Thimsen would also reach home safely for the Golden Bears.
Brohmer and Nelson were each credited with an RBI.
Korey Dahlberg (0-1) was charged with the loss. The sophomore pitched in six complete innings, allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and struck out three batters.
Eric Lundell pitched two innings in relief. The junior allowed two runs on three hits, walked three and struck out one batter in the closing innings.
GAME 2: CSP 4, Washburn 5 (7 innings)
After both teams could not score in the opening inning, Concordia would use a two-run homer to left field from Juliar in the top of the second inning to gain the early advantage. Later in the second, Roybal hit an RBI single down the right field line to send home
Mason Wolf and extend the CSP lead to 3-0.
Washburn would take the lead after Ike Book hit a two-run shot to left field in the bottom of the fifth and Andrew Paulsey added another two-run shot to right center field in the bottom of the sixth.
Down one going into the top of the seventh inning, the Golden Bears had to score to keep the game alive. Thimsen would put himself in scoring position in the first at-bat after hitting a double to center field. A ground out on the next play would set Thimsen up for a sacrifice situation, which Werner prevailed with a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game 4-4.
However, in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, an RBI single from the Ichabods would seal the 5-4 and series victories.
Notables
Juliar finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate with a two-run home run.
Thimsen was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.
Nelson was 1-for-2 from the plate with a run and a pair of walks.
Jonah Lewis started in game two and completed six innings for the Golden Bears. The junior allowed four runs on six hits and collected four strikeouts.
Matt Sherman (0-1) was charged with the loss. The junior pitched in the final third inning and gave up one run on two hits.
Up Next: CSP baseball will return to action tomorrow at noon for the series finale against the Ichabods from Falley Field in Topeka, Kan.
