Cobbers Drop 2 In MIAC Opener

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (4/08/23)---Concordia lost a pair of game to St. Olaf in the MIAC opener for the Cobbers. Concordia gave up 14 runs in the second inning of Game 1 and lost 15-1, and then had a 3-3 game get busted open in the third inning of Game 2 and fell 10-4.

Karissa Finnigan, Hailey Pangracs and Rosie Unglaub led the Cobber offense on the day. All three players had more than one hit in the two games. Unglaub was the only CC player that had hits in both games against the Oles.

Concordia (4-14, 0-2 MIAC) had two hits in the opener. Unglaub had a bunt single to leadoff the game and Kate Gulbranson came through with a single to left field to start the third inning.

The Cobbers' lone run in the first game came in the fourth frame when Unglaub walked to start the inning, advanced to second on an interference call and took third on a ground out. She came home when Kate Wensloff grounded out to shortstop.

Concordia used two pitchers in Game 1. Lauren Staples started the game and went the first 1.1 innings. Mallory Leitner finished off the final 2.2 innings and didn't allow an earned run. She walked one and struck out four.

The second game was deadlocked at 3-3 after the Cobbers scored twice in the fourth inning, but then St. Olaf plated four runs in the bottom of the inning, added one in the fifth and finished off the scoring with two in the sixth.

Concordia jumped on the Oles right away in the nightcap. Finnigan's first of three hits in the game brought home Unglaub to give CC a 1-0 lead. Unglaub had her second straight infield hit in the very first at-bat of the game.

St. Olaf (8-14, 2-2 MIAC) countered with three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead, before the Cobbers came up with their only multi-run inning of the day.

The big hit of the fourth came off the bat of Gabby Brown whose 2-out single to center field scored Pangracs and Gabriella Castro. Pangracs got on base with a 2-out single up the middle and then Castro singled to right field to send Pangracs to third base.

The Cobbers added their final run of the DH in the sixth after Pangracs' infield single scored Finnigan who led off the frame with a single.  

Concordia was outhit 11-8 in the second game. Finnigan was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Pangracs was 2-for-3 and also had an RBI and a run scored.

Unglaub was 1-for-3 in Game 2 and 2-for-4 on the day.

Finnigan got the start in the circle for CC and went 5.0 innings. Vanessa Ramos made her sixth appearance of the year and pitched the sixth inning.

UP NEXT: Concordia will play at St. Scholastica on Monday, Apr. 10 and then head to Arden Hills to take on Bethel on Tuesday, Apr. 11.