Baseball 5/15/2011 12:07:00 AM Jim Egan, Sports Information Director

Cougars Top Falcons, Gain a Rematch with Benedictine

May 14, 2011 - The Concordia Cougar faced a must-win situation for their second game today in the Northern Athletics Conference baseball tournament. Their opponent was the #3 Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons who had just lost to Aurora University 12-11 in a 16-inning marathon. The Cougars jumped out to a big lead but then had to survive some tense moments in the late innings before winning by a score of 9-6.

Falcons' starter Matt Parrent retired the first two batters, but Nick Skala (Long Grove, IL/St. Viator) and Cam Stephens (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) reached him for base hits. Thomas Gier (Fox Lake, IL/Grant) walked on four pitches to load the bases. Ryan Pacyga (Forest Park, IL/Nazareth Academy) was next, and he took a first-pitch strike before Parrent missed on four straight to force in the game's first run. A second run scored when Steve Brown's (Naperville, IL/Naperville North) chopper was bobbled by the charging third baseman, allowing Stephens to score for a 2-0 lead.

The Cougars went to work again in the second and drove Parrent from the mound. Shawn Miller (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) worked a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when the centerfielder dropped Schulz's fly ball. Eric Ignatowski (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) bunted down the third base line for a hit, and Skala followed with a shot over the centerfielder'ws head for a two-run double. Stephens then put an end to Parrent's day with a towering shot to rightfield for a two-run homer and a 7-0 lead.

Buss retired the first two batters for five in a row before Adam Martz put CUW on the board with a homerun to right. The next batter was retired on a grounder to second, keeping the lead at 7-1.

The Falcons put runners on second and third to start the bottom of the fourth, but Buss escaped with just one run on a grounder to third. Another ground ball to second ended the threat with the score at Cougars 7, Falcons 2.

The Cougars struck against Falcons' reliever Brent Behling in the fifth. Brown led off with a walk, and Miller reached on a one-out wind-blown double to right. Behling retired Schulz for the second out but, with Ignatowski at the plate, Brown made a break for the plate. Momentarily flustered, Behling committed a balk that allowed Brown to score. Ignatowski then grounded a single to right that brought home Miller for a 9-2 lead.

It appeared that the Cougars were in the driver's seat, but Concordia Wisconsin battled back and increased the tension level. The Falcons scored a run in the fifth on Greg Ruhde's solo homer and then struck for three in the sixth. Harry Steldt's two-run double and Ruhde's RBI single brought the Falcons within 9-6. Head coach Adam Smith summoned Pat Conlin (Arlington Heights, IL/Rolling Meadows) from the bullpen, and the big righthander retired the next two batters on ground balls to second base.

Conlin escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh with two strikeouts and stranded two more in the eighth. One man reached in the ninth but Conlin retired the final two batters on infield pops to close out the Cougars 33rd win.

Concordia will rematch with Benedictine Sunday morning at 9 a.m. at Solfisburg Park in Aurora. The winner will advance to the championship round against Aurora. Directions to Solfisburg Park can be found at http://athletics.aurora.edu/sports/2009/7/27/directionstofields.aspx?tab=directionstoau.

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Players Mentioned

#25 Ryan Pacyga: 1B; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#24 Cam Stephens: OF; 5' 7"; Junior

#1 Eric Ignatowski: SS; 5' 11"; Senior

#7 Steve Brown: 2B; 5' 10"; Senior

#99 Nick Skala: C; 6' 1"; Junior

#57 Pat Conlin: P; 6' 4"; Senior

#29 Shawn Miller: OF; 6' 1"; Senior

#6 Thomas Gier: 1B/DH; 6' 0"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#25 Ryan Pacyga
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: 1B

#24 Cam Stephens
: 5' 7"; Junior
: OF

#1 Eric Ignatowski
: 5' 11"; Senior
: SS

#7 Steve Brown
: 5' 10"; Senior
: 2B

#99 Nick Skala
: 6' 1"; Junior
: C

#57 Pat Conlin
: 6' 4"; Senior
: P

#29 Shawn Miller
: 6' 1"; Senior
: OF

#6 Thomas Gier
: 6' 0"; Senior
: 1B/DH