Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 March 31, 2014 - It took a little while for the Concordia-Chicago bats to warm up on the first 60-degree day of spring. But once the Cougars started scoring in today's home doubleheader against Concordia Wisconsin, they didn't stop. The Cougars began their defense of last year's Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference title with a 12-2 and 11-6 sweep over the Falcons.
Game one began as a pitchers' duel between CUC's Dan Kluss (Niles, IL/Niles West) and CUW's Andrew Heideman. Kluss was touched for a run with two out in the fourth. Two runners were aboard when Bryan Thomas' fly to left-center fell between the two outfielders for a run-scoring double. However, Kluss zipped a called third strike past the next batter to keep the Cougars within a run. The Cougars evened the score in the fifth with an unearned run before the bats broke loose in the sixth. After one out, singles by Steve Zubrzycki (McHenry, IL/Marian Central Catholic) and Carlos Olavarria (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) put runners on the corners. Brent Spohr (Ingleside, IL/Grant Community) then hit a chopper in the infield, but Zubrzycki beat the throw home to give the Cougars the lead at 2-1.
Kyle Huber (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech) then cracked a triple to the wall in right-center, scoring Olavarria and Spohr.
Colin Bethran's (Schaumburg, IL/H.S.) single scored Huber, and Bethran stole second just moments later.
Dan Lo Dolce (Northlake, IL/Walther Lutheran) drove in Bethran with the final run of the inning on a single that fell behind the first baseman.
Concordia-Chicago made it 7-1 an inning later on Doug Matthews' (Crest Hill, IL/Lockport Township) sacrifice fly. The visitors got one run back in the eighth, but the Cougars would not give them an opportunity to bat in the ninth. A single by Bethran, walk to Will Randerson (Combined Locks, WI/Kimberly) and base hit by Rich Santarelli (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Christian) started CUC's second five-run rally of the game. LoDolce's fielder's choice grounder scored a run, and an infield error scored a second. Zubrzycki's line single to right scored two more runs, and Olavarria ended the game on the 10-run rule as he smacked a single up the middle to score Eichholzer. Kluss improved to 2-1 on the season with the win. The senior allowed just one run on five hits over seven innings while fanning nine and walking two.
The Cougars continued on a roll early in game two. Huber doubled to the wall in right to score Eichholzer and Olavarria. The lead became 4-0 in the second on an RBI fielder's choice by Zubrzycki and a sacrifice fly by Eichholzer.
Concordia Wisconsin got on the board in the third with a single run, but Concordia-Chicago answered with a three-spot. Randerson doubled to the wall in right-center for two runs, and Santarelli followed with a double to tally Randerson. The Cougars then made it eight scoring innings in a row over the two games when Will Polley (River Forest, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) sliced a double to left-center to score Eichholzer. Just when it looked like the Cougars would be in cruise control, the Falcons put together five straight hits with two out in the fifth to come within 8-5. Another run scored in the seventh on a double and a two-out error.
Falcons' reliever Austin Baglow had kept his team within reach with three scoreless innings after allowing the unearned run in the fourth, but the Cougars finally broke it open in the eighth. With two on and two out, Eichholzer ripped Baglow's first offering over the wall in center for his second homer of the season, giving the Cougars significant breathing room. Steve Cox (Villa Park, IL/Willowbrook) pitched the ninth inning, retiring Dylan Gausman on a soft liner to shortstop to end a successful day for the ninth-ranked Cougars. Kurt Kempema (Schaumburg, IL/H.S.), the third of four CUC pitchers in the nightcap, earned the win to improve to 3-0. Kempema allowed one unearned run in two innings of work, striking out two. The Cougars (14-2, 2-0 NACC) return to action on Saturday at noon when they host Rockford University in a doubleheader.
