April 17, 2011 - The Concordia Cougars' continued production on offense coupled with excellent starting pitching added up to a doubleheader sweep this afternoon over visiting Marian University. The 17-1 and 11-1 victories, both accomplished in seven innings. made it 70 runs in the last four games for the Cougars but, more importantly, put Concordia at 10-0 in Northern Athletics Conference play.

 

Catcher Nick Skala (Long Grove, IL/St. Viator) led the way with three homers and seven RBIs over the course of the two games. The junior had four of the Cougars' 28 hits while also scoring five runs and throwing out two runners on the base including one at the plate who was trying to score on a wild pitch.

 

Eric Ignatowski (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North), who went 5-8 with five RBIs on the day, started the offensive fireworks with a two-run homer in the first inning of game one. Concordia added to their lead in the second by sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring 10 times. A two-run single by Thomas Gier (Fox Lake, IL/Grant) and two-run double by Cam Stephens (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) made the score 9-0 before Dan Eichholzer (Elwood, IL/Joliet Township) blasted a three-run homer to centerfield for his second round-tripper of the year and a 12-run lead.

 

The run production continued in the third when Skala went over the fence in left for a two-run shot. In the fourth, Ignoatowski doubled home a pair of runs, and Skala followed with a triple down the rightfield line.

 

All of the runs paved the way for senior Anthony Collaro (Melrose Park, IL/Walther Lutheran) to improve to 4-0 on the season. Collaro pitched seven innings while scattering nine hits (all singles). He allowed a single run in the fifth while walking one batter and striking out seven.

 

Concordia's momentum did not slow in the nightcap as they scored in each of the first four innings. Skala's second homer of the day followed Ignatowski's infield hit in the first to provide an early lead. The Cougars added to it in the second when Brenden Schulz (Kenosha, WI/Bradford) doubled with one out and came home on Ignatowski's line single to center.

 

The Cougars took advantage of a couple of mistakes by the Sabres to put four on the board in the third. With runners on second and third, Robert Weis (Oak Creek, WI/H.S.) hit a grounder to second base. The fielder passed up the routine out at first base and threw home, but Stephens slid under the tag to score. An errant throw to the plate by the pitcher scored a second run, and a balk later in the inning added the final run of the frame to make the score Concordia 7, Marian 0.

 

Stephens' two-run single in the fourth and Ryan Pacyga's (Forest Park, IL/Nazareth Academy) RBI single in the sixth put the Cougars in line for another abbreviated contest heading into the seventh inning. But Marian temporarily prolonged the game when Anthony Porcaro's single in the top of the seventh put the visitors on the board and brought the Cougars back up to bat in the bottom of the inning.

 

The extension of the game was not a long one. After Marian's pitcher got Ignatowski for the first out, Skala put an end to the doubleheader with the best-hit of his three homers, a deep no-doubt shot to center.

 

Micah Buss (Columbus, IN/Columbus North) went the distance for his third win of the year. The southpaw allowed one run on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

 

Concordia will play Wheaton College in a single game at 6:00 on Tuesday night. The game will be played at Benedictine University's Sports Complex in Lisle.