Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 April 12, 2016 - A busy week continued for the Concordia University Chicago Cougars today in Wisconsin. with a doubleheader, an NACC matchup with the Edgewood College Eagles. The Cougars have had the Eagles' number as of late, winning the last nine games heading into today. It was a crisp night for baseball as the Cougars came away with a split. CUC won game one 3-2 behind a big tenth-inning leadoff homerun by Keegan Tyrell (Joliet, IL/Joliet Catholic Academy) but, in game two, Edgewood used a three-run seventh inning to end the Cougar reign over the Eagles by a score of 6-4.

In game one, Adam Schmitt (Peoria, IL/Limestone) drew the pitching assignment for the Cougars. Aided by two walks and a Cougar error, Edgewood plated the first run of the game, but Schmitt limited the damage to just one run. CUC answered with a run of their own in the top of the second. With one out, Brady Roberts (Aurora, IL/Marmion Academy) hammered an 0-1 pitch into the left-center gap for a double. He scored with two outs when Colin Bethran (Schaumburg, IL/H.S.) hit a ground ball towards third. The throw skipped past the first baseman, allowing Roberts to cross home plate.

Edgewood regained the lead when they brought a leadoff walk around to score in the bottom of the fourth to make it 2-1 Eagles. CUC was able to fight back and manufacture the tying run in the top of the eighth. Bryan VanDusere (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) led off the inning taking a 1-0 pitch to left-center for a double. He advanced to third on a deep flyout to right and came home when Andrew Massey (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) follwed with a second fly ball deep enough to allow VanDuser to tag up and score from third.

The teams played into extras. The game was decided in the top of the tenth. In a 1-1 count Tyrell stepped up and launched a deep fly down the leftfield line. It cleared the fence to give CUC the 3-2 lead. Brian Musielak (Chicago, IL/Brother Rice) would run into trouble in the bottom half with the bases loaded, but was able to induce a groundout to short to pick up his second win of the year. He worked four scoreless innings of relief and has now pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings.

In game two, Alex Meyers (Edwardsville, IL/H.S.) got the nod on the mound for the Cougars. Edgewood plated two runs in the bottom of the second on four hits to gain the early 2-0 lead. As they often do, the Cougars clawed back. CUC got one back in the top of the third. A one-out walk would put Kevin Coppin (Lisle, IL/H.S.) aboard. Two straight singles loaded the bases and, one out later, Massey reached on an infield single to third that cut the Cougars' deficit in half. CUC tied the game up with an unearned run in the top of the sixth. Joe Silva (Arlington Heights, IL/Hersey) reached on a single. and advance to second on a wild pitch. Silva later scored when the pitcher's pickoff  throw to try and nail Silva sailed past the third basemen, allowing the run to score and tie the game 3-3.

Edgewood tallied the game-winning runs in the bottom of the seventh. A two-run triple and a wild pitch allowed three runs to score and give the Eagles the 6-3 lead. CUC tried to rally in the ninth and scored one run to make it 6-4, but left the potential game-tying run at first base.

The Cougars (16-7 6-2 NACC) will continue their marathon week tomorrow again in Wisconsin. This time, they are set to take on top-ranked UW-Whitewater in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.