Anderson Shuts Down Cardinals To Help Cobbers Post A Split

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/21/26)---Concordia used the arm of Grant Anderson to gain a split in their series against St. Mary's.

The junior southpaw hurled 7.0 scoreless innings in Game 2 to lead the Cobbers to a 2-1 victory after CC dropped the opener 5-1 to the Cardinals.

The two teams were only separated by two hits on the day, but it was a pair of 2-run innings that cost Concordia the chance to sweep. CC never led in the opener as they conceded a pair of runs in the second and then two more in the seventh.  

The Cobbers returned the never-trail favor in the nightcap as they played a single run in the third and added the eventual game-winning score in the eighth frame. CC did have to survive a scare from SMU in the top of the ninth when the Cardinals scored their only run of the game and had the game-tying run on third base but a botched suicide squeeze play turned into a caught stealing out at the plate and Concordia earned the win on a routine fly ball to center field.

Mason Henry and Alex Everson were the only Cobber players to have a hit in both ends of the double dip. Henry went 1-for-2 with a walk in the opener and was 2-for-3 in Game 2 with a run scored, while Everson posted a single hit in both games.

Luke Knudsen also had a multiple-hit game in the finale. He was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Game 1: Concordia 1, St. Mary's 5
Concordia couldn't overcome a series of costly wild pitches and missed scoring chances in the opener.

Starter Caleb Johnson worked 4.2 solid innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out three. Saint Mary's posted their first 2-run frame in the second inning—one on a wild pitch and another on a double down the right‑field line.

The Cobbers answered in the third when Brayden Wolfgram lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Carter Huotari, who had opened the inning with an infield single. That cut the deficit to 2–1 and brought CC back to within one.

Concordia put runners on base in five of the seven innings but couldn't find the timely hit. The Cobbers finished with seven hits, including singles from Huotari, Wolfgram, Jack Primus, Bryce Binek and Everson, but stranded nine runners. 

The game remained tight until the decisive sixth and seventh innings. CC allowed three wild pitches in the seventh frame which allowed two Cardinal runners to advance and score, stretching the Cardinals' lead to 5–1.

In total, Concordia pitchers were charged with four wild pitches and two hit batters, contributing to three Saint Mary's runs.    

Game 2: Concordia 2, St. Mary's 1
The second game was all about Anderson, who only allowed one runner to get past second base in the first 6.0 innings and only gave up multiple hits in a frame in one inning. Anderson finished the game by throwing 99 pitches – 60 of which were for strikes. He struck out a career-high seven batters and gave up only four hits.

Vann Olson used Anderson's momentum and pitched a scoreless eighth inning. He struck out one and was able to work out of a first-and-second situation with no outs.

The Cobbers struck first in the bottom of the third when Everson launched a solo home run to left field. The long ball was the first of Everson's college career and staked CC to a 1-0 lead.  

After several scoreless innings, Henry sparked an 8th-inning rally with a bunt single and a stolen base. Knudsen then delivered a clutch RBI single down the right-field line to extend the lead to 2-0.

Saint Mary's mounted their comeback in the ninth, scoring one run on a double. However, Concordia's defense held firm as they were able to tag out the game-tying run at home.

CC was outhit 6-5 in the second game with Henry and Knudsen providing four of the six base knocks

Concordia will step out of conference play when they host Minn.-Morris in a single, 9-inning game on Thursday, Apr. 23.