April 14, 2012 - The Concordia Cougars made this afternoon an extremely long one for Dominican University's pitching staff, pounding out 28 hits in a 15-3, 16-2 sweep of the Stars at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg.
The Cougars spotted the Stars a 2-0 lead in game one before an error in the second opened the floodgates. The two-out error followed a pair of walks and loaded the bases for Robert Weis (Oak Creek, WI/H.S.). Weis came through with a rare three-run single to put Concordia on top. The Cougars added on as Anthony Even (Franklin Park, IL/West Leyden) singled home a pair of runs. Cam Stephens (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) and Shawn Miller (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) followed with RBI hits to cap the seven-run inning.
Even's two-run double highlighted a five-run fifth inning, and Rob Fioravanti (Evergreen Park, IL/H.S.) added RBI hits in the fifth and sixth innings. Brenden Schulz (Kenosha, WI/Bradford) improved to 4-2 on the season with the complete-game seven-inning victory. The sophomore struck out three and walked nobody, allowing the three runs (two earned) on six hits.
The Cougars continued the onslaught in game two, rapping out 13 hits while taking advantage of seven Stars' errors. Two of the miscues came in the first as Concordia put four on the board. Dan Eichholzer (Elwood, IL/Joliet Township) singled home a run, and the Cougars added a run as Eichholzer got caught in a rundown long enough for Fioravanti to score from third.
Concordia doubled its lead to 8-0 in the second. Even continued his huge RBI day with a three-run double to the leftfield corner. He scored moments later when Miller doubled to the gap in left-center.
Dominican touched Bobby Beelen (Wheeling, IL/H.S.) for a run in the second, but Concordia answered in the third. Eichholzer scored as he swiped third base and came home on the catcher's errant throw. Moments later, Even batted in his fourth run of the game and eighth of the doubleheader with a double to right for a 10-1 lead.
The Cougars put game two way out of reach with a five-spot in the fourth, highlighted by Fioravanti's RBI double. Fioravanti also accounted for the Cougars' final run in the sixth as he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Beelen won his fourth game in five decisions, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings. FReshman Louis Foss (Warner Robins, GA/Houston County) finished up with a scoreless seventh.
Sunday will see a rematch of last season's NAC championship round as Concordia (20-6, 7-3 NAC) will host Aurora University at 1:00. The game will be preceded by the official dedication of Concordia's upgraded facilities.
