March 30, 2011 - Despite showing some signs of rust after a 10-day layoff, the Concordia Cougar baseball team came two outs away from stealing today's game against an Elmhurst College team that entered play with a 9-2 record. However, the Bluejays answered a three-run Cougar ninth with three runs of their own to take a 7-6 win at Butterfield Park in Elmhurst.
The Cougars jumped out in front in the second inning. Eric Ignatowski (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) walked and Cam Stephens (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) singled. Dan Eichholzer (Elwood, IL/Joliet Township) sacrificed both runners into scoring position, and Shawn Miller (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) brought both of them home moments later with a double to center.
The Bluejays evened the score with an unearned run in the third and a run in the fifth on Dan Matkovic's double. Freshman Dan Kluss (Niles, IL/Niles West) was solid in his five innings of work, striking out eight and walking three while giving up five hits.
Elmhurst took a 4-2 lead with single runs in the sixth and seventh off of Steve Cox (Villa Park, IL/Willowbrook). Concordia got one of those runs back in the eighth when Thomas Gier (Fox Lake, IL/Grant) walked and came around on singles by Stephens and Eichholzer.
In the ninth, Brenden Schulz (Kenosha, WI/Bradford) walked and advanced all the way to third on a passed ball. One out later, Nick Skala (Long Grove, IL/St. Viator) tied the game with a double to right. Gier singled, and Derek Binninger (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Skala was then forced out at home for the second out, but Kevin Rush (Fort Wayne, IN/Concordia Lutheran) pinch-hit and drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run. Eichholzer then took advantage of the third baseman playing back and dropped down a perfect bunt single for what appeared to be a key insurance run.
Kevin Pawell (Kenosha, WI/Bradford) retired the first batter in the bottom of the ninth, but Matkovic started the Bluejays' rally with a single up the middle. Dan Bosco then reached on an error at first base with Matkovic moving to second. Pat Conlin (Arlington Heights, IL/Rolling Meadows) relieved Pawell on the mound, but Dave Wolak singled and Jake Bronkema walked to force in a run and cut Concordia's lead to 6-5. Tyler Wargo then delivered the clutch hit, a double to right that plated the tying and the winning runs.
The Cougars (9-4) will open Northern Athletics Conference play on Saturday with a doubleheader against Maranatha Baptisti Bible College. The games have been relocated to Hoffer Field on the campus of Judson University in Elgin with first pitch scheduled for 1:00.
