Concordia Baseball Back At MIAC Tournament for Just Second Time in Seven Years
Play top seed Bethel at CHS Field in St. Paul Thursday
MOORHEAD, Minn — For Concordia to see postseason baseball it was a grind having to play 10 games over the final eight days of the regular season including four walk-offs to secure a winning record and the fourth and final seed.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a season of this outcome so far but we had a lot of goals and everyone was very dedicated and the coaches just kept pushing the goal for playoffs throughout the year,” senior outfielder Andy Gravdahl said.
“Before the season started we all met together and said these were the goals we want,” junior infielder Thomas Horan said. “We want to have better than a .500 record and that’s what we did.”
On top of all the baseball being played the Cobbers have been down coaches. Head skip Chris Coste has been dealing with some health issues. Pitching coach Anthony Renz has moved over to the RedHawks. Leaving the team to run their own practices most days with guidance from former head coach Bucky Burgau..
“Were going to make pitching changes or line-up changes late in the game to enhance our chance of winning but they’ve handled that all good,” Burgau said. “All year long even when all three of us were here coaching we’ve all been hands on with these group and they respect everybody.”
“Were a player lead team so yeah the coaches are a little hurt, little banged a bit but as a team we know we can do this,” Horan said. “We just know if we put in the work, it’ll come and we’ll be on our way.”
The Cobber’s go up against the top seed, Bethel, who has won 30 games, however, that’s not something the team is looking too much in to.
“We just played them and it didn’t turn out the way we wanted to but knowing that, there’s no pressure on us we feel like,” Gravdahl said. “It’s that underdog mentality. Four seed going against the one, you shouldn’t have anything to lose and just go out and play.”
“They lean on the pressure. They love it. They want to win,” Burgau said. “Every person in this dugout even if they’re not playing, we want to have a successful baseball team. If we don’t win, were going to give it our best shot. The other guys in the other dugout, even if they beat us, they’re going to know they’ve been in a hell of a baseball game.”
The MIAC Tournament is double elimination taking place at CHS field in St Paul. The Cobbers get going at 3 Thursday.
