GRAND PRAIRIE, TX. – In near freezing temperatures, the Linfield Wildcats baseball team opened the 2019 season on the road at the Rusty Greer Jackie Moore Collegiate Classic. The 'Cats fell to the Concordia Tornadoes 4-0 as both offenses struggled to piece together hits at Quicktrip Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.
 
Highlights

• Linfield threatened in the bottom of the third when Kurt Potter led off the inning with an infield single to third. Tanner Earhart singled to left later in the inning but the 'Cats left two stranded at the end of the frame.
• Matt McDonald entered the game to pitch in the middle of the sixth with a runner in scoring position. He worked his way out of a first and third jam with a crucial strikeout to keep the 'Cats within one run of the Tornadoes.
• Cason Cunningham started his 41^st game in a Wildcat uniform (seventh most starts in program history). The senior threw 5.1 innings where he struck out two, walked three and allowed one run on three hits.
• The 'Cats nearly tied the game in the seventh when Earhart walked, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Cokos. A diving play by Concordia's Brett Leiferman in center ended the inning as the Tornadoes turned two to double up Earhart at second.
• Concordia struck again when Reed Carlton singled with two outs in the eighth to bring in Carson Cox, giving the Tornadoes a 2-0 lead. Later, Concordia scored on a Linfield balk and an error at third base to make it 4-0.
• Linfield totaled five hits in the game and left nine runners on base.
• Cunningham and McDonald accounted for the first 7.2 innings. Dakota Carter finished the game by tossing the final 1.1 innings where he struck out two and did not allow a hit. The three Linfield pitchers allowed five hits, three earned runs and walked six.

Chasing Haddeland
With two strikeouts on Friday, Cunningham now has 262 career strikeouts, second all-time in Linfield program history. Chris Haddeland (2012-15) leads all Wildcat pitchers with 275 career strikeouts.
 
NEXT
 
Linfield meets Hardin-Simmons at Quicktrip Park for game two of the Rusty Greer Jackie Moore Collegiate Classic tomorrow at 4pm (PST).