Slater slain by Orioles, 16-0

Concordia held the 'Cats hitless until sophomore Ethan Owens singled with two outs in the fourth inning. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

CONCORDIA -- The Slater baseball team had given Concordia respectable competition earlier this month during an 8-2 loss at Lions Field.

However, those Wildcats were nowhere in sight Monday during the first round of the Class 1, District 15 Tournament at Concordia, crushed 16-0 by the Orioles in five innings.

The second-seeded host team scored five runs in each of its first three at-bats, while allowing only two hits to hand the Purple its third shutout of the season.

Concordia sophomore Carter Brown struck out eight of the nine batters he faced during his three no-hit frames.

The only blemish was a walk to sophomore Brandon Creswell in the third, and he was erased in a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play.

The Orioles took advantage of Slater's poor defense, which didn't record a putout on a batted ball until after committing five errors. Senior J.R. Langkrahr had two-run singles in both the first and second innings, Concordia getting 10 hits -- some on playable fly balls -- during those stanzas.

After a bases-loaded walk pushed home the third run of the third inning, sophomore Drew Smith drove in the final two runs with a single.

Junior Jacob Harms worked the last two innings on the mound for the Orioles, allowing a two-out single to sophomore Ethan Owens in the fourth and lead-off single to senior Joey Sapone in the fifth. A walk put a second runner on base in the final frame, but Harms fanned the next three hitters to end the game.

Sophomore Alic Frerking had three hits and drove in two runs for Concordia (9-8), which will play No. 4 seed Pilot Grove -- a 10-1 winner over Northwest of Hughesville -- in today's semifinal.

The good news for the 'Cats (2-11) is that they only lose two seniors who started in the finale, with six sophomores due to return.