Concordia University St. Paul Athletics

ST. GEORGE, Kan. - Sophomore catcher Chase McQuade blasted a one-out walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to power a 16-13 comeback victory for Concordia-St. Paul (12-19, 7-11 NSIC) over Sioux Falls (13-15, 9-6 NSIC) on Friday at Rock Creek High School.

Concordia trailed 13-5 after a four-home run top of the sixth inning for the Cougars as USF hit six home runs on the overcast, 20-plus mile per hour day with the outfield flags firmly blowing in the opposite direction of home plate.

But the Golden Bears provided the power, too, as freshman Gus Berger went 4-5 with two home runs, a walk, three runs scored and five RBIs. He homered with two outs in the first, hit a game-tying three-run homer in the fourth with Blake Eckmann following with a go-ahead RBI double later in the inning, and Berger drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and scored the tying run on McQuade's grand slam. McQuade was 2-5 with the home run and an eighth-inning sacrifice fly for a 5-RBI day.

Also going deep for Concordia, junior Will Husemann with a solo shot in the sixth to start up a three-run inning which ignited the comeback with Concordia scoring the final 11 runs of the day with three in the sixth, one in the seventh, three in the eighth and four in the ninth. Husemann only had the one hit, but it was a big one for momentum, and he had a combo meal with a stolen base.

In all, the teams combined for 10 home runs, with Concordia scoring nine of its 16 runs via the long ball and Sioux Falls countering with eight runs on its six homers. 

It was a game of twists and turns, which also included dark storm clouds approaching in the closing innings. The teams each scored a run in the first before USF took a 4-1 lead with a three-run third.

Berger tied the game in the bottom of the third with Eckmann's RBI double putting CSP in front 5-4.

Sioux Falls tied the game with a solo homer in the top of the fifth. Concordia wouldn't lead again until the McQuade's game-ender.

CSP starting pitcher Ollie Yuhas had a solid start on a tough day to pitch, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts in five innings. He left in a tie game.

Sophomore Tyus Smith entered the game in Sioux Falls' eight-run sixth inning after the four home runs by the Cougars, and although USF was able to push three more runs across in the inning, it was with some tough luck on the pitcher. He induced a pair of pop-ups, that with normal conditions would have been secured to end the inning, but due to the conditions the Cougars kept things rolling and took advantage for the extra runs.

Yuhas' counterpart, Brady Baur, entered the day with a 4-1 record and a 3.86 ERA. He matched Yuhas by allowing five runs through five innings and looked to be in control as he took the mound for the sixth inning. But a leadoff homer and a five-pitch walk including four-straight balls ended his day. Nick Carlson, who drew the walk after the Husemann homer, would score as Baur was tagged for seven runs on nine hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 5-plus innings. 

Smith settled things down in the later innings, unfazed by the tough luck plays in the sixth. He put up zeros in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, striking out the side in the seventh to set the tone and no one reached the rest of the day.

After striking out the side in the seventh, he was the beneficiary of excellent defense up the middle from freshman shortstop Max Kaplan, who made a strong play in the hole for the first out, made the routine play for the second out, and ranged up the middle to make a gold-glove level play to end the inning. 

In the ninth, Smith secured a pair of fly outs to athletic centerfielder Kaden Johnson before his battery mate McQuade fielded a bunt and made a strong throw just in time for the third out. 

While Smith put out the fire the mound, the bats continued to chip away at the 13-5 deficit, which was brought down to 13-8 after the three-run sixth inning.

Charlie Harms added a bases-loaded infield single to make it a four-run margin in the seventh. In the eighth, McQuade produced a bases-loaded sacrifice fly, and Johnson added a bases-loaded two-run single later in the inning to cut it to 13-12.

In the ninth, after the Berger walk, Eric Berg singled sharply to third base to put two on with no outs. Eckmann hit a chopper to third, with the only play to retire Eckmann, putting the winning run in scoring position with one out. An intentional walk to Kaplan brought McQuade up, who deposited the full count pitch over the right field fence.

Smith secured the relief victory, working 3.2 innings and allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Carter Sehr took the loss for USF, giving up three runs in the ninth while getting one out. 

Berger wasn't the only one with a four-hit day for CSP, as Berg followed him in the lineup by going 4-5 with a walk, three runs and an RBI. Harms had a three-hit day, going 3-5 with a pair of runs, a walk and an RBI. Kaplan had a 2-5 day at the plate, adding a walk and scoring three times. Johnson, the leadoff batter, went 1-4 but walked twice, scored once and drove in a pair. 

Concordia had 18 hits, drew 10 walks and left 10 on base in a busy day on the bases while Sioux Falls had 15 hits with CSP issuing only four walks and a HBP as the Cougars left six runners on. 

The teams now travel to the Omaha area where they'll conclude the three-game series with a noon doubleheader at Bellevue West High School on Saturday. 

Mitch Iliff led the Cougars at the plate by going 3-4 with a walk, three runs and a pair of solo home runs. Drew Miller was 2-5 with a double and a homer, scoring twice and driving in three.