March 10, 2012 - If today provided an example of how the Concordia-Chicago baseball team will respond to losses, it's a fair assumption that the team should avoid any prolonged losing streaks. After having their season-opening five-game winning streak shattered in a 5-3 loss to the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the Cougars roared back in the nightcap to pound out 21 hits and rip the Eagles 18-8 in seven innings.

Game one featured a pitchers' duel between CUC's Ryan Thorsen (Lake Villa, IL/Grant) and UWL's Garrett Scray. The Eagles were the first to break through in the fourth when the first two hitters reached. Thorsen coaxed a double play ball to put the Cougars on the verge of escape, but Corey Geary came through with the first of three UWL two-out RBIs in the game as he doubled to left-center.

LaCrosse added to their lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth, the latter run chasing Thorsen in favor of J.P, Kulick (Buffalo Grove, IL/H.S.). Kulick would get the final out of the sixth and retire the Eagles in the seventh to keep Concordia within striking distance.

The Cougars got on the board with one out in the seventh. Shawn Miller (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) reached on an error and came around when Steve Zubrzycki's (McHenry, IL/Marian Central Catholic) shot to the gap in right-center rolled to the wall and went for a triple. In the eighth, the Cougars closed to within 3-2 when Stephens walked, moved up on Anthony Even's (Franklin Park, IL/West Leyden) base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rob Fioravanti (Evergreen Park, IL/H.S.).

Just when momentum seemed to be with Concordia, an error opened the door for LaCrosse to score two in the bottom of the eighth. A throwing error at shortstop scored Jay Fanta who had doubled with one out, and the error came around to score on a safety squeeze later in the inning.

There was still fight left in the Cougars however, as Miller singled and Zubrzycki doubled to start the ninth. Brenden Schulz (Kenosha, WI/Bradford) grounded to third after a lengthy at-bat, scoring Miller to make it 5-3. However, Zach Lauersdorf struck out Dan Eichholzer (Elwood, IL/Joliet Township) and Nick Skala (Long Grove, IL/St. Viator) to pin the first loss of the season on Concordia's side.

In game two, the Cougars scored in each of the first five innings, starting with a four-run first. After the first two men went out, Skala walked and Stephens singled. Even singled up the middle for the game's first run. Fioravanti followed by ripping a shot down the line and into the leftfield corner to score Stephens. Eichholzer and Miller delivered run-scoring singles to add to the lead.

A double by Zubrzycki and single by Skala accounted for a run in the second. In the third, the Cougars loaded the bases on three singles. Sacrifice flies by Robert Weis (Oak Creek, WI/H.S.) and Schulz plated two of the runs, and Concordia led 7-0 after three.

Righthander Steve Cox (Villa Park, IL/Willowbrook) sailed through the first three innings but was touched for six runs, four unearned, in the fourth. Five hits and two errors accounted for the damage, but Cox got Zach Harazon to fly to center and leave the tying and go-ahead runs stranded.

The wild fourth inning continued as Concordia came to bat. With two aboard, Fioravanti's bunt was thrown away by the pitcher, allowing Stephens to score. Eichholzer was next up, and his sharp ground ball was misplayed by the shortstop, allowing two runs to cross the plate. One out later with two men aboard. Nick Contorno (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) lined a shot to the gap in right-center. The rightfielder made a great lunging catch for the out, but Eichholzer came home to score. Zubrzycki capped the five-run rally with a double down the rightfield line to score Miller and make the score Cougars 12, Eagles 6.

LaCrosse scored an unearned run off reliever Kevin Pawell (Kenosha, WI/Bradford) in the fifth, but the Cougars ran away with six runs in the bottom of the inning. The first five batters all reached on hits with Eichholzer's two-run double providing the big blow. Stephens later added an RBI double as the Cougars went to the sixth inning with an 18-7 lead.

The Eagles scored once in the sixth, but Pawell shut the door in the seventh, allowing the Cougars to end the game on the 10-run lead. Pawell earned the win in relief with three innings of three-hit ball, allowing two runs (one earned).

Concordia (6-1) will look for one final win on the road trip when they play Macalester College on Sunday morning.