Game Box

WAYNE, NEB.: Third seeded Concordia University scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, including the game-winning run on a botched squeeze attempt to stun Southwest Minnesota State 2-1 in the opening round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament in Wayne, Neb.

SMSU stranded nine runners on base in the game including a runner on third base with no outs in the seventh and failed to score with runners on first and third and one out in the eighth.  

SMSU starting pitcher Adam Schrader was dominate in the contest carrying a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning before CSP rallied for the victory.  Schrader had retired seven straight Golden Bear batters until Chris Herbert lead off the ninth with a single, his second hit of the game.  Brendan Furrow then followed with a single to right center to put runners on first and third.  A wild pitch put Furrow on second base before John Maciej tied the game with a sac fly to right field and advancing Furrow to third base.

With a runner on third base and a 2-1 count, CSP batter Chris Kimpton missed on an attemped a squeeze bunt in the dirt.  The ball bounced a few feet away from catcher Doug Stearns and with Furrow running home on the play, scored just before the tag from Stearns.

It is the second loss for Schrader this season after dominating a game.  On Apr. 23 at Northern State he carried no-hitter for 6.2 innings before the Wolves plated the game winning run on two straight hits.

CSP starting pitcher Jake Schmidt, who entered the game 6-0, was dominate as well for the Golden Bears and tossed the complete game with nine strikeouts while allowing two walks, eight hits and one run.

SMSU scored its lone run of the game in the third inning with Derick Swenson starting the rally with a one out single.  After a stolen base, Swenson moved to third base on a single by Josh Nolan.  Greg Laughlin then gave SMSU the lead with a sac fly to right field to score Swenson.

SMSU had a golden opportunity to score in the seventh as Stearns lead off the inning with a slicing triple to left field but was stranded on third after a shallow fly out, a pop out and a foul out.

In the eighth inning Andrew Kinney walked with one out and following a stolen base advanced to third on a single by Lex Reinke.  SMSU then attempted a squeeze bunt with Jake Munsch, who got the bunt down the first base side CSP first baseman John Maciej fielded the ball and threw out Kinney at the plate.

Schrader finished the game tossing 115 pitches including 70 strikes.  He struck out nine CSP hitters while walking four, hitting one batter and allowing three hits.  Schmidt was as strong for CSP finishing with 133 pitches including 94 strikes.

Laughlin led the SMSU offense going 2-for-3 with an RBI while Swenson, Nolan, Reinke, Munsch and Stearns all added one hit each.

SMSU will continue action tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. game versus top-seeded Wayne State.  WSC defeated Winona State 6-3 in its opening round game.  

Southwest Minnesota State is now 24-19 overall while Concordia, ranked No. 7 in the latest NCAA regional rankings, improves to 25-14.