MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Hamline baseball team (3-9, 1-2 MIAC) finished up their first MIAC series of the season, splitting with Concordia in a Saturday doubleheader. The Pipers won the first game 4-1 behind a complete game performance from Zach Branson, before falling in game two 9-3.
 
GAME 1: HAMLINE 4, CONCORDIA 1 (8 innings)
The HU offense got going late in the first game, rallying for three runs in extra innings which would propel them to a 4-1 win. Branson pitched all eight innings, giving up one run (unearned) with six strikeouts.
 
First years Mac Enlow and Colin Schuetz each tallied a hit within the first five innings, but the Pipers were not able to capitalize. The Cobbers would be the first to get on the board, as an unearned run crossed in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Hamline would get that run back in the top of the next inning as first year Braeden Bourne doubled to start off the sixth, was sacrificed over by senior Colton Peters, and would eventually score on a wild pitch.
 
The Pipers wouldn't score again until the eighth, when they used four hits to score three runs. Buck and Bourne started the rally with back-to-back singles. Schuetz then singled, scoring Buck. Enlow joined in with a single of his own, driving in both Bourne and Schuetz, putting HU up 4-1.
 
Branson and the Piper defense would hold Concordia in the bottom of the inning, securing the game one win.
 
GAME 2: CONCORDIA 9, HAMLINE 3
The second game also featured plenty of offense as the teams combined for 22 hits in the contest. Hamline had nine of those hits, but stranded 11 runners on base, leading to the setback.
 
Schuetz continued his strong hitting performance into the second game, going 3-4 with two runs and an RBI. Bourne, sophomore Ian Sandbo, first year Matt Rusch, first year Gavin Renwick and sophomore Owen Christenson all chipped in with a hit each.
 
Each team scored in the second inning, as Sandbo singled and would eventually score on a single from first year Tyler Johnson. A leadoff triple that would score for the Cobbers in the bottom of the inning tied the game at one.
 
Concordia would add three runs in the third and four runs in the fourth to take a commanding 8-1 lead after four complete. They would tack on their final run in the fifth.
 
A home run from Schuetz in the fifth got one of those runs back for Hamline and an RBI single from Christenson in the seventh would add another, but the Cobbers were able to hold on to the 9-3 win.
 
Sophomore Jonah Smallfield started on the mound for the Pipers and would take the loss. Junior Taylor Just, first year Braden Schneider, Gerstner, and first year Josh Cary would all pitch an inning in relief for HU.
 
The Pipers will play again on Wednesday, heading to Bethel for a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.