March 8, 2016 - After another solid start to their season, winning the first five games of 2016, the Concordia-Chicago baseball team fell with a thud today. The Bridgewater (VA) College Eagles had the better of both games, sweeping CUC by scores of 6-3 and 7-1.

The opening inning of the day made it look like today would continue to favor the Cougars. Bryan Van Duser (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) led off with a booming double to left, and Andrew Massey (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) followed with a double between the right and centerfielders. Mitch Wilson (Oswego, IL/H.S.) then singled between first and second to score Massey for a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately, in what began a bad pattern for the day, CUC stranded Massey in scoring position after he had stolen second base, and the door was left open for Bridgewater.

The Eagles got a run back in the first on a sacrifice fly and then tied the game in the second on a wild pitch that bounced all the way back to the screen as a runner scored from second. Bridgewater later took the lead on the strength of a four-run fifth. The big blow of the inning was Kenner Berry's two-run triple over the first baseman's head and about 10 feet inside the rightfield line.

Concordia-Chicago got one run back in the sixth as Brady Roberts (Aurora, IL/Marmion Academy) reached on an infield hit and later scored on an error by the third baseman. But the Cougars could not deliver the clutch hit  as they stranded eight runners, six in scoring position.

In game two, the Eagles batted first and put up two runs. The Cougars got one back in the first as Massey singled with one out. Massey made third as Wilson's ball was misplayed by the second baseman. Moments later, Wilson took off for second base, and the catcher's throw sailed into centerfield, allowing Massey to trot home with the run.

The Eagles added a run in the fifth and four more in the sixth to put some distance between the Cougars and themselves. The maroon and gold was unable to make up the deficit as they were limited to just three hits.

The Cougars (5-2) will look to get back on the winning track following an off day when they take on St. Joseph's College of Maine on Thursday.