Concordia at Northwestern

• PREVIEW
• BOXSCORE

Northwestern 8     Concordia-Nebraska 6

Northwestern jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning behind three hits, one error, two hit batsmen, a walk, and a RBI ground-out. Concordia pushed to get back into the game, scoring once in the third and once in the fourth. Northwestern responded in the fourth with a run of their own. Brad Payne led off the fourth with a triple and scored on a RBI single by Matt Negaard to increase the lead to 6-2.

Concordia scored twice in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-4, but again Northwestern answered, scoring twice as well. Mike Zoellner led off the inning with a single and was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice by Matt Gray. After Gray stole second base, Chuck Stith walked and Mike Shields hit a single to load the bases for Payne. Payne reached first on a wild pitch/strike out, scoring Gray. Chris Butler, who was running for Stith, scored on a throwing error by the shortstop, to give Northwestern an 8-4 lead heading into the sixth inning.

Concordia scored twice in the sixth inning to pull within 8-6 after six, but the game was called due to Metrodome time limit rules.

Taylor Morris, making his first college start on the mound, picked up the win and went four innings. He allowed three hits, two runs, three walks, and struck out seven. Eddie Pantzlaff allowed two runs in an inning and Bret Larson allowed two runs in an inning.

Offensively, Shields and Payne each had two hits. Shields had two RBI, Payne scored twice, and Gray stole two bases in the victory and scored twice.

Northwestern is now 3-1 and will get back on the diamond on Feb. 26/27 in Joplin, Missouri in a tournament featuring Graceland, Sioux Falls, and Doane.