With the split, Concordia opened its season 1-1, while Pacific Lutheran, who also opened its season, stands at 1-1 as well.

Concordia will next travel to Lewiston, Idaho where they’ll participate in the Lewis-Clark State Tournament. There, they’ll first face University of British Columbia and Lewis-Clark State in back-to-back games on Friday, Feb. 10 before playing George Fox the next day, Feb. 11.

GAME 1

Pacific Lutheran jumped on the Cavs early in the first game on Tuesday, but the Cavs defense stepped up from there to shut the Lutes down and win 5-2.

After a quiet first inning, PLU struck first in the top of the second when back-to-back singles to left plated two runners with two outs after the inning should have been over.

That put the Cavs in an early 2-0 hole, which seemed to grow even deeper when the Cavs stranded five runners, including four in scoring position, over the next three innings.

However, the Cavs’ bats broke out in the bottom of the fifth when two PLU errors put runners on second and third with no outs. Then, one out later, the Cavs’ Carl Beckert tied the game back up at 2-2 with a single to center field that allowed teammates Jordan Keeker and Jimmy Sanchez to score.

Not deterred, though, the PLU Lutes came right back in the top of the six and challenged the Cavalier defense again. After the Lutes’ first batter flew out, PLU’s Ryan Frost doubled and Markus McClurkin singled to put runners on first and third, still with only one out. However, a nifty 3-6-3 double play between the Cavs’ Sean Myrom and Keeker ended the inning with no harm done.

Riding the momentum of that double play, the Cavs turned right around in the bottom half of the sixth, putting runners on second and third again with no outs. Now with the chance to take the lead for the first time, CU’s Mike Dickman delivered with an RBI ground out that scored teammate Mike Cero.

After that, the Cavaliers retired nine of the last 12 PLU batters to close out the game behind solid pitching from Larsen Kohler.

Just for good measure though, the Cavalier offense added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Cero started the rally this time, recording his third hit in the game with a single through the left side of the infield. Cavaliers Sheldon Austria and Ben Talbot then followed with back-to-back hits of their own that scored Cero. After a balk moved Austria and Talbot to third and second, respectively, Dickman came through with his second RBI in the game with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Austria.

Overall, Cero led the Cavs’ offense in the game, going 3-for-3 and scoring two runs. Besides Cero, Austria also played well, going 2-for-4, while also scoring a run. On the mound, Kohler came on in relief to pitch four shutout innings for the Cavs and get the win. On the flip side, Kipp Godfrey received the loss for PLU.

The Cavalier defense also did well to contain the PLU offense, as the Cavs limited the Lutes to just two runs despite 10 hits.

GAME 2

Unfortunately for the Cavs, the PLU bats came alive in the second game, as the Lutes beat the Cavs 9-1 behind two big innings.

The first of the two rallies came in the top of the fourth when three costly errors gave the Lutes three runs before their first out in the inning. Then, after a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third with two outs, PLU’s Jacob Hoffman doubled down the left-field line to bring home two more. When the third out finally came, the Lutes had taken a 5-0 lead.

The Lutes then struck again in the top of the seventh with three more runs to make it 8-0. McClurkin opened the big inning with a double, then scored on a single through the right side two batters later. The Cavs got the lead runner out at second on the play after that, but a subsequent passed ball and a single scored another run for the Lutes. Then with a runner on second and two outs, the Lutes plated their third runner of the inning off another costly error from the Cavs.

To the Cavs credit, though, they came back in the bottom of the seventh and answered with their lone run of the game. Concordia got the run after both Myrom and Jared Young started the inning with two doubles down the left-field line. Young’s double scored Myrom, while also putting him on second with only one out. However, the Lutes defense settled down after that and recorded two straight outs to end the inning.

Finally, the Lutes added one final run in the top of the ninth that ultimately proved inconsequential.

Overall, the Lutes outhit the Cavs 11-6 in the second game, while the Cavs committed four total errors compared to zero for the Lutes.

On the mound, PLU’s Trevor Lubking walked away with the victory after pitching six shutout innings, while striking out six Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Troy Stephens came away with the loss for the Cavs.