First Win And An Improved Offense

COCOA, Fla. (2/28/14)—If early-season results are any indication of season success, then consider Concordia overachievers. The Cobbers split a pair of games on Friday and in the process knocked out 16 hits and scored 13 runs.  Last year CC scored just two runs and had 14 hits in the first five games of the season.

Concordia picked up their first win of the season in the opener on Friday against Lyndon State. The Cobbers used a four-run sixth inning to post an 8-3 victory. CC then scored four runs in the opening inning of the nightcap against Alma but gave up six runs in the sixth and lost 9-5.

Concordia is now 1-3 on the season. It took the Cobbers six games to earn their first win of the year in 2013.  

The Cobbers started the day by scoring at least one run in four of the first six innings of play. Concordia took a 1-0 lead in the first frame when freshman Jenna Esala singled home Madison Little. CC would then add two more in the third after Lyndon State tied the game in the top of the inning. After posting a single run in the fourth, the Cobbers tore the game open by scoring four runs on four hits in the sixth inning. The big hit in the sixth came off the bat of Little who drove in a pair of runs with a one-out single to right field.

Little was one of two Cobber hitters with more than one hit in the game. She was 2-for-3, drove in three runs and scored two runs from her leadoff position in the batting order. The No.2 hitter, Heather Jonasson was 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Esala had a pair of RBI and was 1-for-3.

Junior pitcher Hilary Rotunda went the distance and earned her first win of the year. She didn't give up an earned run and only allowed three hits in seven innings of work. She finished with three strikeouts in the opener.

The Cobbers carried over the momentum from the first game by scoring four runs in the opening inning of the second game. CC had three hits in the frame with Ashley Tibbetts getting an RBI single to left field to plate the fourth run.

Alma scored three runs in the second inning and then Concordia built a 5-3 lead in the top of the third when Esala scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on an error.

The Scots won the game by scoring six runs in the sixth. Alma had five hits in the frame.

Concordia had six hits in the second game with six different players getting a single hit. Rotunda started on the mound for CC and pitched a total of 2.1 innings during the game. JoAnna Carlson went the middle 3.2 frames and did not allow an earned run while giving up six hits.

The Cobbers will have a day off on their spring break trip in Florida and then return to action on Sunday, Mar. 2 when they play Concordia University (Ill.) in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.