Homers And Hits Don't Add Up Against Carleton

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/21/26)---Concordia scored multiple runs in both games, had a home run in each game and had 15 hits in their doubleheader with Carleton but it wasn't enough as they fell 11-2 in the opener and then 11-5 in the finale.

Cate Kehoe and Bailey Plante supplied the power for Concordia as they both cleared the fences during the course of the two games. Kehoe hit a 2-run blast in Game 1 that accounted for all of CC's scoring, while Plante went yard in the sixth inning in Game 2. It was the first homer of the year for both players.

The Cobbers had four players post 2-hit games in the second game. Besides Plante, Kailee Falconer, Morgan Guggisberg and Reese Hauck all came away with a pair of hits in Game 2.

Falconer, Morgan Guggisberg and Hauck led the CC offense as all three players had at least one hit in both games.

Game 1: Concordia 2, Carleton 11
The opener began under immediate pressure for the Cobbers as Carleton struck for three runs in the top of the first frame.

Concordia looked ready to punch back in their half of the inning when Falconer and Morgan Guggisberg scorched back-to-back singles, but the Knights were able to get out the jam and keep their 3-run lead.

The second inning proved to be a rollercoaster of momentum. A fielding error allowed Carleton to extend their lead to 6-0, as they capitalized on the extra outs with three unearned runs. However, the Cobbers answered in the bottom of the inning. After Kate Gulbranson reached on an error, Kehoe stepped to the plate and delivered the Cobbers' highlight of the game – a towering 2-run home run to left field that cut the deficit to 6-2 (pp. 2-3).

For the next several innings, the game settled into a defensive duel. Kegen Coulson battled through five innings on the mound, keeping the Cobbers within striking distance despite the early damage.

The Knights broke the game open in the sixth and seventh innings. They plated two runners in the sixth and three more in the seventh.  

The Cobbers mounted one last rally, getting base hits from Hauck in the sixth and Olberding in the seventh, but they were unable to string hits together and stayed at two on the scoreboard.

Coulson pitched the first 5.0 innings and then handed the ball to Lauren Kohlgraf.

Game 2: Concordia 5, Carleton 11
Concordia broke on top early in Game 2 as they took a 1-0 lead when Jocelyn Maki singled home Falconer.

The Cobbers kept the pressure on in the second inning, doubling their advantage when Falconer grounded out to drive in  Kehoe. Moments later, Morgan Guggisberg laced a single to right-center, scoring  Plante and pushing the lead to  3-0.

However, the momentum shifted in the middle innings. After Carleton chipped away with runs in the third and fourth, the floodgates opened in the fifth when the Knights scored six times. Carleton added three more in the sixth to extend the gap to 11-3.

Refusing to go quietly, the Cobbers showed some late-game fireworks in the bottom of the sixth.  Plante provided the highlight of the nightcap, launching a solo home run to bring the score to 11-4. Maki then added her second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly that scored Alexa Krueger.

Though Concordia managed to get runners on base in the seventh, including a single by Olivia Olberding, they couldn't close the gap further.

Mallory Leitner pitched the first 4.1 innings and gave way to Kohlgraf who went into the sixth before being relieved by Coulson.

The Cobbers won't have a lot of time to recover as they play in St. Paul on Wednesday, Apr. 22. Concordia will face St. Catherine starting at 3:30 in a DH that was postponed from Apr. 4.