Cougars Left Stranded in Loss to Mount Union
March 5, 2015 - The Concordia-Chicago baseball team began the second half of their season-opening eight-game Spring Break trip with a single game against the University of Mount Union. The Cougars looked to extend their winning streak to three games, but the Raiders thwarted those hopes as their two runs in the bottom of the seventh made the difference in a 6-4 final.
The two teams took the field at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida to the warmest temperatures so far this week, 84 degrees at first pitch. The Cougars had first at-bats and took the early lead as
Steve Zubrzycki (McHenry, IL/Marian Central Catholic) led off with a sharp single. Zubrzycki stole second and made it to third on a groundout to second. He was still at third with two out when
Joe Silva (Arlington Heights, IL/Hersey) hit what looked to be an inning-ending fly to center. However, the centerfielder lost the ball in the sun, and it fell for a double as Zubrzycki crossed the plate.
An error opened the door for the Cougars to add to their lead in the second. Rich Santarelli (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Christian) followed the miscue with a single to left, advancing Will Randerson (Combined Locks, WI/Kimberly) to second. With two out, Zubrzycki lifted a single over the third baseman's head into short leftfield as Randerson scored. Zubrzycki took second on the throw as the Cougars had two runners in scoring position, but a line drive to center went for the final out of the inning. This was unfortunately to become a pattern today as CUC stranded eight runners on base, seven in scoring position. Freshman A.J. Sanchez (Oak Lawn, IL/Richards), who notched his first career strikeout to end the first and strand a Raider runner on second, was touched for a leadoff double in the second. The righthander came back to retire the next two batters on a fly to right and a grounder to first, the latter scoring the runner to make it a 2-1 game. But the Cougars were not out of the inning as the next five Raiders sprayed singles to account for three runs, and Mount Union had themselves a 4-2 lead when the third out was finally made. Down two runs, CUC got one back in the top of the third. Carlos Olavarria (Rosemont, IL/East Leyden) singled between the left and centerfielders and took an extra base when the ball was bobbled on the pick-up. Olavarria would score on singles by Thomas Gier (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community) and Randerson, but the Cougars would strand another pair of runners as the inning ended. The score remained 4-3 until the seventh when the Cougars finally caught the Raiders. Mitch Wilson (Oswego, IL/H.S.) led off and stung a ball to leftfield that the fielder dove for but could not come up with, and Wilson stood at second with a double. Olavarria followed with a double to the wall in left, and the score was even at 4-4. However, the Cougars could not capitalize further as a pickoff at second helped the Mount Union pitcher out of further trouble. Mount Union then capitalized on its opportunity in the bottom of the inning. Sanchez retired the first batter, making it eight straight Raider batters to go down, but Scott Sherwood singled up the middle and then stole second. Sean Mohney followed with a double over Olavarria's head in left, making it a 5-4 game and ending the day for Sanchez.
The Cougars then caught a bad break as a passed ball moved the runner to third. This turned out to be a big play because the infield moved up, and the next batter singled just over the head of Santarelli to drive home the insurance run.
Concordia was unable to rally in their final at-bats. Santarelli reached on a two-out walk in the eighth, but a grounder to third ended the inning. The Cougars were then set down in order in the ninth to end the game.
Now 3-2 on the season, the Cougars will play Wheaton College of Massachusetts on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. The game will be played at Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale.
