Doubleheader Recap:

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/08/10)-- It was a case of some bad news and then some good news for Concordia as they split their home opener with St. Ben's on Thursday. The Cobbers struggled to get base runners in the first game and lost 8-2 but then came back with some timely hits in the nightcap and won 8-1.

It marks the third straight split for the Cobbers. In the previous two, CC won the first game but then dropped the second. On Thursday switched the outcomes and came up with their third win in the last six games. CC is now 5-16 in overall games and 2-2 in the MIAC. The Blazers, who were playing their first conference games of the year, move to 6-10 overall.

In both games Concordia struggles to put together a sustained offensive attack in the early innings. In the opener, CC was unable to get to St. Ben's starting pitcher Emma Alwin in the first five innings and didn't score until the sixth.

The Blazers scored two runs in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to seize control of the first game and grab a 6-0. Concordia was then able to break onto the scoreboard after Alwin left the game at the start of the sixth. Joelle Link doubled to right field and Becca Conant and Maddie Haroldson scored to cut the lead to 6-2. The Cobbers wouldn't be able to get any closer and then CSB would come up with their fourth two-run frame of the game to finish off the opener with an 8-2 victory.

Haroldson and Kayla Pelletier were the only two CC players with more than one hit in game 1. Haroldson was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Pelletier was also 2-for-3 in the game. Cobber pitcher Kesley Jones started the game and left in the sixth inning. She allowed six earned runs and struck out one in 5.0 innings pitched. Conant finished off the final two innings and gave up one earned run on two hits.

Link came through for Concordia in the second game. Needing a solid pitching performance in order to come away with a split, Link gave up only one run in the first 4.1 innings and pitched out of jams in the second and fourth innings. She earned her second win of the season and dropped her ERA to 9.10.

Offensively, the Cobbers came up with 10 hits in the second game. Michelle Olek was 2-for-3 and picked up her first double of the year. The big hit highlight for CC came off the bat of Kayla Hendrickson who hammered a pitch off the scoreboard in left field for her second long ball of the season. Her two-run homer put a cap on the Concordia seven-run fourth inning.

The fourth inning sealed the fate of the second game and allowed CC to coast for the final three innings. Jones relieved Link in the fifth inning and pitched 2.2 innings and allowed only one hit.

Concordia will stay at home when they host St. Thomas on Saturday, Apr. 10 at 1 p.m.