March 8, 2013 - For the first 4 1/2 innings of Friday's game against Wartburg College, it appeared as if the Concordia Cougars were on their way to victory number six to start the season. but momentum shifted faster than the gusting winds that pelted the Kino Sports Complex. The Knights rode the momentum to the tune of 11 unanswered runs, and they handed the Cougars their first loss of the season by a score of 11-6.

The Cougars touched Knights' starter Scott Benson for a run in the top of the first. Robert Weis (Oak Creek, WI/H.S.) singled with one out and moved to second as Shawn Miller (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) drew a walk. One out later, Thomas Gier (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community) hit a high chopper that bounced over the first baseman's head and rolled down the line as Weis came around to score.

Wartburg threatened against Concordia starter Dan Kluss (Niles, IL/Niles West) in each of the first two innings, but the Cougar righthander was able to escape unharmed both times. Concordia then added to its lead in the third, Miller singled past the second baseman and stole second base. With one out, Gier produced his second run-scoring single in as many at-bats for a 2-0 Cougar lead. Gier advanced on a wild pitch and, with two outs. Will Randerson (Combined Locks, Kimberly) hit a ground ball which the second baseman ran into short rightfield to glove. However, he kicked the ball away toward the line, enabling Gier to motor around third and score.

The fifth inning was the turning point of the game. It started as the Cougars put runners on third and second with two out. Rich Santarelli's (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Christian) flare to short center appeared as if it would fall in for a two-run single, but the centerfielder dove and caught the ball inches from the ground to keep it a three-run game.

The Wartburg bats then went to work. With a runner on first and one out, the Cougar infield appeared to turn a force play at second for out number two. Instead, the ball was ruled foul. Given new life, Blake Wilson singled on the next pitch to put runners on the corners with just one out. Tony Stenberg followed with a double to left to put the Knights on the board. Kluss retired the next batter on an infield pop, but Michael Schinstock kept the rally going with an RBI single to center. Levi Montague then doubled to deep centerfield over Miller's head, and both runners scored to give Wartburg a 4-3 lead.

The Knights added to their lead in the sixth as Wilson went the opposite way on a double down the leftfield line to score a pair of runners with two out. Wartburg continued their extra base assault in the seventh as they scored five runs with two doubles and a Wilson triple to the rightfield corner providing the big blows.

Concordia looked to make it interesting in the ninth as they loaded the bases with nobody out. Derek Binninger's (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) ground ball to third took a tricky hop, but the third baseman stayed with it and got a force at third base as Weis scored. Randerson then laced a double to the gap in right-center, scoring Kyle Huber (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech) and Binninger to make it a five-run game. But the rally would end there as the Cougars fell to 5-1 on the Arizona trip while Wartburg improved to 6-1.

A rematch with St. Mary's University of Minnesota is next up for the Cougars on Saturday afternoon. C.J. Selner (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran) will make his second start on the mound.