WAYNE, Neb. - With March temperatures opening in the mid-80s for Saturday's first game and reaching the mid-90s throughout the doubleheader, the Golden Bears couldn't beat the heat or the Wildcats as Concordia-St. Paul fell 9-7 and 21-19 at Wayne State at Pete Chapman Complex.

Concordia led in all three games, with their final lead in each game being a 12-10 lead in the ninth inning on Friday, a 7-5 lead in the fifth inning of the 7-inning game one of Saturday's doubleheader, and a 19-9 ninth inning lead in the series finale in game two on Saturday.

The Golden Bears fall to 10-14 overall and 5-7 in the Northern Sun while Wayne State moves to 16-9 overall and 8-4 in the NSIC as the Wildcats extend their winning streak to eight games.

Kaden Johnson went 3-7 with five runs, a double, a triple, four RBIs, three walks and a stolen base in Saturday's doubleheader. He was one of three players with three hits on the day, as Eli Nelson (3-7, 3 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB) and Max Kaplan (3-9, 3 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs, 1 SB) each joined him. Gus Berger drove in five runs on just one hit, going 1-6 while scoring twice and walking three times with a sacrifice fly. Nick Carlson was 1-5 with two walks and a sacrifice bunt and scored four times.

Concordia is scheduled for its home opening series next weekend against #23 Minnesota State at Barnes Field on Saturday and Sunday. Field conditions from last weekend's snowfall could require a change in venue. If a change is necessary, it will be reported on cspbears.com when finalized.

GAME 1: WSC 9, CSP 7
Although Wayne State scored first with a run in the second inning, Concordia held the early upper hand with a two-run third and a four-run fourth inning to hold 2-1 and 6-2 leads. 

The Golden Bears added a run in the fifth for a 7-5 advantage heading into the late innings, but the Wildcats tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and hit a go-ahead 2-run homer in the bottom of the sixth for the 9-7 lead.

Concordia threatened in the seventh as Jack Setterlund started things off with a two-out walk to keep CSP alive. An Eli Nelson double put the tying run in scoring position and a pinch-hit walk by Chase McQuade put the go-ahead run on base. But Jace Coleman ended the game the way he started the seventh, with a strikeout as he struck out the side despite loading the bases with two outs for his second save.

Setterlund was an on-base machine, going 1-1 with a run, an RBI and three walks as he had reached base safely in seven-straight plate appearances with four hits and three walks between his performance on Friday and his game one effort on Saturday. 

Johnson was 2-4 with two runs, three RBIs, a walk and his sixth double out of the leadoff spot and Charlie Harms was 2-4 with his 10th double out of the second-spot. 

Max Kaplan went 2-4 with his second triple and a pair of runs and Nelson was 2-3 with his third double, a walk and a run.

Starting pitcher Tyus Smith didn't factor into the decision, working into the fourth inning in his first conference weekend start. He allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. 

Max Heard went 1-3 with a double and four RBIs for WSC and Nate Cunningham was 2-4 with two runs, his sixth home run, and two RBIs.

GAME 2: WSC 21, CSP 19
In the series finale, Wayne State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning before game three starter Jack Thompson settled into a groove and navigated his way through 4.0 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks. 

After the first, Thompson allowed just one unearned run, inducing an inning-ending double play in the second and a 1-2-3 third inning.

Meanwhile, Wayne State starter Matthias Trondson was cruising, retiring the Golden Bears in order the first three innings and not allowing a baserunning the first time through the lineup.

The game wasn't headed towards a 40-run combined output, as CSP got on the scoreboard against Trondson in the fourth inning when Kaden Johnson led off with a triple and scored on Charlie Harms' RBI groundout. 

It was a 5-1 game after five innings as WSC was looking to secure the series sweep.

Concordia then erupted for eight runs in the sixth inning, sending 14 to the plate in an inning the featured five walks and three HBPs, with CSP scratching just one hit in the 8-run frame. 

CSP finally got to Trondson, who allowed four runs on three hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

Leading 9-5, Concordia couldn't hold it for long as WSC responded with four more in the bottom of the inning to tie it.

After a scoreless seventh, Concordia scored six more times in the eighth, picking up a pair of bases-loaded walks and RBI double by Eric Berg. 

Concordia scored four more times to take a 19-9 lead in the ninth inning with three-straight 2-out RBI hits, singles by Gus Berger and Berg and a two-run double by Max Kaplan.

Wayne State countered by securing the sweep with a 12-run ninth inning, scoring eight runs with two outs with two players reaching on dropped third strikes, while the second batter of the inning reached on error as CSP effectively recorded five outs in the inning.

WSC picked up a walkoff grand slam to sweep the series by Easton Mains, who was 3-6 with three runs and six RBIs in the finale.

Only one of the 12 runs in the ninth inning was earned.

Concordia scored its 19 runs on just eight hits, drawing nine walks and four HBPs, leaving just five runners on base in the contest. 

In a game with 19 runs, Berg was the only Golden Bear to record a multi-hit game, going 2-5 with three runs, two RBIs and his ninth double of the year. 

Gus Berger was 1-3 with two runs, four RBIs and two walks and Charlie Harms scored three times and drove in three runs without recording a hit, going 0-3 with two walks and an HBP and has reached base safely in all 24 games this season despite his 19-game hitting streak coming to a close. 

Johnson went 1-3 with three runs, an RBI, two walks and his fourth triple of the year and Max Kaplan was 1-5 with his third double, scoring once and driving in a pair.

Jack Setterlund, who entered the game having reached base safely in seven straight plate appearances, saw that streak come to a close but went 1-5 with a run, an RBI and a walk.

Ninth batter Nick Carlson scored three runs, going 1-3 with a walk. 

In the series finale, CSP catcher Eli Nelson threw out a pair of WSC attempted basestealers with a 50 percent rate. 

SERIES NOTES

• Jack Setterlund registered a .556/.692/.556 slash (5-9) with four runs, three RBIs and four walks
• Kaden Johnson was .417/.563/.750 (5-12) at the plate, scoring six runs with two doubles, a triple, five RBIs, four walks and two stolen bases
• Eric Berg slashed .400/.438/.800 (6-15) with five runs, three doubles, a home run, five RBIs
• Gus Berger had a team-high six RBIs on the weekend, scoring five times wiht a .500 OBP
• Charlie Harms slugged .667 with a double and a homer in the series