More(house) History Made In Split With Minn.-Morris

MOORHEAD, Minn. (3/30/14)—Ashley Tibbetts hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth in the second game of the Cobbers' doubleheader with Minn.-Morris to help Concordia gain a split with the Cougars.

Concordia gave up a nine-run fifth inning in the opener and lost 10-1 in five innings but then used Tibbetts' long ball and the pitching of JoAnna Carlson to record a 6-4 victory in the nightcap. The win snapped a five-game losing skid and helped the Cobbers cap the first-ever games played inside Jake Christiansen Stadium.

Concordia is now 5-12 on the season while Morris moves to 5-9 on the season.

The Cobbers and Cougars traced one run and then three-run innings in the second game before Tibbetts broke open the game in the fifth. Jenna Esala scored the game's first run when she scored on an overthrow on a pickoff play at third base in the bottom of the second frame. Morris then countered with a single run in the top of the third before CC responded with a trio of runs in the third.

Concordia scored three runs in the third on three hits and was aided by a pair of Morris errors. Esala had the big hit of the frame when she came through with a clutch two-out single that plated a pair of runs.

After the Cougars tied the game in the top of the fourth, the Cobbers responded with the game-winning runs in the fifth. Madison Little led off the inning by beating out an infield hit. She then moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt and then to third on a wild pitch. Tibbetts left little doubt on her long ball. She hammered a fast ball over the center field fence to record the second home run in Jake Christiansen history.

Concordia had seven hits in the doubleheader finale. Little, Tibbetts and Esala all had two-hit games and all were 2-for-3. Jessica Speicher came up with the other base knock for CC. Tibbetts is now hitting a team-best .385 on the year. She now has two home runs on the season which matches her career total from the two previous seasons.     

Carlson pitched herself out of several jams and was able to get key outs with runners on base. Morris stranded eight runners in the second game. Carlson scattered 10 hits over seven innings and only gave up two earned runs while striking out a career-high seven batters.

The first game was all about sophomore outfielder Kellie Morehouse. Morehouse hit the first-ever home run in Jake Christiansen history and made one of the catches of the year in right field. Morehouse made history in the third inning when she drove a ball over the center field fence. The history-making long ball tied the game at 1-1.

Morehouse had one more spectacular play up her sleeve. She ran back to track a ball hit deep into right field and made an ESPN Play of the Day catch. Morehouse collided into the temporary fencing that was put up in the football stadium and caught the ball as she tumbled over the outfield wall. She was able to hang on to the ball despite breaking apart the fence.

Concordia had four hits in the opener with freshman Dominique Giesen going 2-for-2 and Gabriele Gardner adding the only other hit for CC.

The Cobbers will now hope to open conference play on Monday, Apr. 1 when they travel to St. Paul to take on perennial league power St. Thomas.