Northwestern at Concordia

• PREVIEW
• BOXSCORE

Northwestern needed two extra innings to pull past Concordia in GPAC play in game one  on Saturday afternoon, winning 7-5.  The Raiders scored first, plating four in the first inning behind a three run home-run by Jake Jansen.  Concordia answered back in the bottom of the second with a three spot cutting the lead to 4-3.  Northwestern added a run to the lead in the fourth scoring once on two Bulldog errors and two walks.  The Bulldogs evened the score in the fifth on three hits and a Raider error.  Both starting pitchers took claim of the game at that point, throwing zeros until the top of the ninth when Northwestern knocked Concordia starter Jacob Shaffer out of the game after a lead off walk.  Reliever Troy Kane entered and walked Scott Mineart to put two runners on base.  Raider Sophomore Matt Gray hit a ground ball up the middle that allowed only one play, to throw out Gray at first.  With the runners moved to second and third, the Bulldogs walked Austin Malone.  GPAC Player of the Year Grant Wall then stepped to the plate.  Wall doubled home two runs giving the Raiders a 7-5 lead in the ninth.

Raider starter Joe Grady started the ninth nicely, quickly getting the first two outs before plunking three hitter Nate Schmoll.  That brought the tying run the to plate in the form of Jack Holmberg, the GPAC third best HR threat from a year ago.  Grady quickly displaced Holmberg inducing a ground ball to himself to end the game.  Grady pitched all nine innings, giving up eight hits, five runs (two earned), walking two, and striking out a career high ten.  Grady moved to 2-1 on the season.  

Junior first baseman Jake Jansen led Northwestern going 2-6 with a HR and three RBI.  Five other Raiders had hits.  Northwestern could not take advantage of eight Concordia errors and left 16 runners on base.  

Northwestern moved to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the GPAC.