May 3, 2014 - Early in the season, today's Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader between the Concordia-Chicago Cougars and the Benedictine Eagles figured to be central in deciding the standings and seeds for the conference tournament. While today's twinbill did feature the first and second place teams in the NACC, the seeds had been determined prior to this weekend. Nonetheless, the host Eagles put on a show for their fans at the Sports Complex in Lisle in downing the Cougars 7-1 and 13-10.

With the games having no effect on the standings and seeds, both teams' head coaches predetermined to use a number of their pitchers with no starter scheduled to pitch more than three innings. Concordia starter Dan Kluss (Niles, IL/Niles West) fared well in his brief outing, allowing one run in his three innings. Meanwhile, CUC's hitters put four runners on base in the first two innings against Benedictine's Chris Jordan. But double plays killed both of the early rallies and set the tone for the doubleheader; the Cougars would hit into five twin killings on the day.

The hosts added a run in the fourth and two in the sixth for a 4-0 lead. The Cougars finally got on the board in the eighth as Dan LoDolce (Northlake, IL/Walther Lutheran) led off with the Cougars' first extra-base hit of the day, a double to the gap in right-center. Steve Zubrzycki (McHenry, IL/Marian Central Catholic) singled LoDolce to third from where he scored on a fielders' choice grounder. But the Eagles' pitcher retired the next two batters to keep the Cougars at bay. Benedictine then added three runs in the bottom of the inning, two on a homer by Kevin Hendricks to put a wrap on game one.

It appeared as if the Cougars would put the loss behind them quickly as they took an early 4-0 lead on the Eagles in the nightcap. Will Polley (River Forest, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) singled home a pair of runs in the first. Rich Santarelli (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Christian) and LoDolce reached on base hits in the second inning, and both would come around to score. Santarelli crossed the plate on Colin Bethran's (Schaumburg, IL/H.S.) sacrifice fly, and LoDolce scored on a passed ball.

Just as the Cougars seemed to have the momentum, the Eagles stole it away with a six-run second inning. Concordia pitchers issued three walks in the inning, and all three came around to score. Ryan Mullin had the big hit of the inning, a two-run double that gave Benedictine the 6-4 lead.

The Eagles kept swinging the bats, scoring two runs in the third and four in the fourth. Dan Eichholzer's (Elwood, IL/Joliet Township) double in the fifth pulled one run back for CUC in the fifth, but the Eagles matched it in the bottom of the inning for a 13-5 lead.

As unsettling as the large deficit was, Concordia did not give up the fight. The Cougars loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and scored a run on Carlos Olavarria's (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) single. Moments later, a throwing error scored a pair of runs. Polley singled home a run to cap the four-run rally and pull CUC to within a manageable 13-9 score.

The seventh and eighth innings would magnify the Cougars' frustration on this sunny afternoon like nothing in the previous 15 innings. Both times, Concordia loaded the bases with no out and forced the hosts to go to the bullpen. Yet the Cougars managed just one run, that coming on an infield error. In the ninth inning, the Cougars brought the tying run to the plate only to see the Eagles' reliever get the final two outs and end a frustrating day for the visitors.

Concordia (31-5) will host North Park University on Sunday afternoon at 1:00. The Cougars' final home game of the season will be Senior Day as the team will honor its 10 seniors in a postgame ceremony.