May 18, 2016 - The final game of day one at the NCAA III Midwest Regionals at Copeland Park in LaCrosse, WI will pit the Concordia-Chicago Cougars (32-11) against the Kalamazoo Hornets (24-18-1). The game is scheduled for 7:45, and weather conditions should be ideal with a predicted temperature of 61 degrees, clear skies and very gentle winds.

Senior Eric Palmer (Melrose Park, IL/West Leyden) is scheduled to make his 12th start of the season for the Cougars. Palmer is 6-0 with a 1.48 ERA in 67 innings. He has struck out 80 batters, and opponents have hit just .199 against him. Palmer's last start was a gem as he pitched eight innings in leading the Cougars to a 2-0 win against his former team, Aurora University in game two of the NACC tournament on Saturday morning. 

Palmer's mound opponent is expected to be Ryan Orr, a sophomore righthander. Orr is the workhorse of the Hornets' staff, having thrown 80 innings in 15 appearances. He has made 11 starts and completed eight of them. Orr is 8-3 with a 1.71 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 84 innings. Two of those wins came at the MIAA conference tournament as he defeated Adrian 2-1 on May 11 and Hope College 3-1 on May 13.

The Hornets have hit .283 as a team, averaging 5.4 runs per game. Third baseman Jack Clark leads the team with a .371 batting average, 33 runs scored and 30 RBIs. Outfielder and usual leadoff hitter Jordan Wiley is hitting .277 and has a team-leading 25 stolen bases in 28 attempts.

Concordia-Chicago is led by Andrew Massey (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) who raised his batting average from .397 to .410 at the tournament last weekend. Five of Massey's six hits went for extra bases including his first homer of the year against Milwaukee Engineering last Thursday. Joe Silva (Arlington Heights, IL/Hersey), named the NACC Position Player of the Year, is hitting .381 with 41 runs scored and 30 RBIs. Of the Cougars' regular starting nine, eight of them are hitting over .300. 

The official Midwest Regional web page will provide all the information including links to live stats and live video. In addition, CUC will provide audio coverage of tonight's game as well as all the Cougars' games in LaCrosse. CJ Selner will call the action on www.mixlr.com/cucougars beginning at 7:40.