Box Score

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Concordia-Moorhead scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning and that proved to be the difference as the Cobbers defeated Augustana 6-4 in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday, February 25 in Winter Haven, Florida. It was the second loss in a row for the Vikings, who are now 2-2 on the young season while Concordia-Moorhead moved to 3-0.
 
Augustana was leading 2-1 heading into the top of the sixth inning when used three hits and a Viking error to put four runs on the board. The big blow in the uprising was a two-run single by Nick Bornhauser.
 
Early in the game Augustana trailed 1-0 but came up with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Senior leftfielder Danny Fifer (Lincoln-Way West HS, New Lenox, Ill.) opened the frame with an infield single and after two outs, senior third baseman Kyle Lenihan (Romeoville HS, Romeoville, Ill.) single to left with Fifer advancing to third. Lenihan then stole second and junior designated hitter Jeff Prior (Rock Canyon HS, Lone Tree, Colo.) singled home both Fifer and Lenihan.
 
After giving up the four runs in the top of the sixth the Vikings got a run in the bottom of the inning. With one out junior Trace Gingerich (Sherrard HS, Sherrard, Ill.) doubled down the right field line and came home on Prior's single to center to make it 5-3.
 
Concordia put up an insurance run in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth Prior singled to left center, stole second and came home on a double down the right field line by senior right fielder Brandon Jasper (Central DeWitt HS, DeWitt, Iowa). That trimmed the lead to 6-4 but Cobber reliever Bryce Fela got the final out to secure the victory.
 
Sophomore Kyle McGinley (J.K. Mullen HS, Denver, Colo.) took the loss for the Vikings. He worked 5 2/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. Junior Darwin Townsend (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) turned in his second fine outing of the spring break trip when he went the final 1 1/3 innings and did not allow a hit.
 
Bill Jacobson got the win for Concordia, working six innings and scattering eight hits with four strikeouts and allowing three runs.
 
Prior and Jasper carried the offensive load for the Vikings as each had three hits. Prior scored a run and had three RBI while Jasper had one RBI and a walk. Lenihan added two hits to the attack.
 
Augustana is now off until Saturday, February 28 when the Vikings face Widener at 11:00 a.m. in Ft. Myers, Florida and play Otterbein at 2:00 p.m. that same day.