Box Score March 6, 2016 - Thus far in the young season, the Concordia-Chicago baseball team has won games with their pitching and defense. Today was definitely the hitters' time to shine as they came through in several clutch situations to edge Coe College 11-10 in 11 innings in Winter Haven, FL.

The Kohawks jumped out on top with two runs in the top of the first, but the Cougars got one back in their first at-bat. Bryan Van Duser (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) singled, stole second and scored with one out on Mitch Wilson's (Oswego, IL/H.S.) double. CUC threatened for more, but a double play ended the inning and kept the score at 2-1, Coe.

Eric Palmer (Melrose Park, IL/West Leyden) retired the side in order in the second, and CUC then took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Joe Silva (Arlington Heights, IL/Hersey) and Doug Matthews (Crest Hill, IL/Lockport Township) reached base on singles and moved up on a sacrifice by Kevin Coppin (Lisle, IL/H.S.). Silva scored moments later on a wild pitch, and Matthews crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Keegan Tyrell (Joliet, IL/Jolietr Catholic Academy) for a 3-2 CUC lead.

The Cougars added an unearned run in the third as Brent Spohr (Ingleside, IL/Grant Community) got himself caught in a rundown attempting to steal second while Andrew Massey (Chicago, IL/St. Rita), who had been on third, crossed the plate with the Cougars' fourth run.

The score remained 4-2 until the sixth when Coe came back with a run. However, the Cougars answered with two runs, one scoring on Van Duser's RBI single. CUC then looked to put the game out of reach with a four-spot in the seventh, three runs scoring on a dropped fly ball in leftfield.

To their credit, the Kohawks did not surrender, despite being down 9-3. They scored four times in the eighth, aided by a couple of triples, and then tied the game with two in the ninth. Coe was prevented from taking the lead in the ninth as a line out to Spohr at first base was turned into an unassisted double play. However, Coe did score in the 10th inning as Michael Redmond's single scored Kevin DeLaney for a 10-9 Coe lead.

Down but not out, the Cougars came right back. Van Duser led off with his fourth hit of the game. He would be at second base with two out when Spohr, down in the count, rifled a single to leftfield. Spohr's fourth hit of the day scored Van Duser, and the teams proceeded to the 11th inning.

Mike Formella (Homer Glen, IL/Lockport Township) dispatched of the Kohawks in the top of the 11th, allowing just a harmless two-out single. Colin Bethran (Schaumburg, IL/H.S.) then started off the winning rally with a single between third and short. A pair of bunts pushed Bethran to third with two out. VanDuser was intentionally passed, brining up Massey. The transfer shortstop promptly ended the long contest with a shot about 10 feet inside the leftfield line to plate Bethran.

"Today was not an easy day to hit, but  VanDuser and Spohr did a great job leading the way with four hits each," said CUC head coach Mike Stawski. "We know Massey will do well in the number two spot, and he's ready to drive in the big run as we saw in the 11th inning. The bottom of our order really produced too; the number seven spot (Matthews and Bethran) got on base five times today, and when you can set up the hitters at the top like they did today, it will only make us that more dangerous."

The Cougars (4-0) will return to action on Monday afternoon when they take on Montclair State University of New Jersey.
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