Baseball struggles in lopsided losses to Midland
SEWARD, Neb. – Very little went right for the Concordia University baseball team on a day in which visiting Midland swept Saturday’s GPAC doubleheader by a combined score of 26-3. The Warriors (33-14, 12-2 GPAC) won 12-3 in game 1 and then 14-0 in game 2 at Plum Creek Park in Seward, Neb.
The Bulldogs (14-27, 4-12 GPAC) suffered their fourth and fifth losses in a row and sit in a three-way tie for ninth place in conference standings.
Game 1 appeared as though it may be a tight pitcher’s duel with the two sides tied 1-1 at the end of four innings. Edwin Izumigawa, making his first start of the season on the mound for Concordia, held the Warriors to just one hit through four innings.
That’s when the wheels came off. Midland got a three-run homer from third baseman Miguel Ramallo in the top of the fifth to grab a 4-1 advantage. The Warriors then busted the game open with an eight-run sixth, highlighted by catcher Jordyn Van Atta’s grand slam off of reliever Heath Benker.
After playing error free in the opening contest, Concordia’s infield defensive woes surfaced again in a second game that Midland led start to finish. A key first-inning error led to three unearned Warrior runs off of right-handed pitcher Will Holbrook. Midland went on to add crooked numbers in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings to enact the 10-run rule after seven frames.
Cleanup hitter and right fielder Daniel Wilkerson provided one of the day’s few highlights for Concordia when he crushed a two-run homer to left in the bottom of the sixth of game 1. The homer was Wilkerson’s fifth of the season and second in as many games.
In addition, Bulldog freshman shortstop Josh Mondt notched the first home run of his career when he went deep in the bottom of the third in game 1, tying the score at 1 at the time.
Midland starting pitchers Dillon Cotner (8-2) and Tyler Brungardt (7-4) both picked up victories for a squad that remains two games behind first-place Doane (38-7, 16-0 GPAC) in the loss column. Cotner and Brungardt helped hold the Bulldog attack to a combined seven hits on the afternoon.
The Bulldogs will play one final game outside the conference on Tuesday when they go on the road to take on York College (25-18) at 5:30 p.m. Concordia will finish up GPAC regular-season action next Friday and Saturday. The April 26 home doubleheader with Nebraska Wesleyan will be senior day for the Bulldogs.
