River Forest, Ill.- Concordia University Chicago (39-8; 21-1 NACC) faced off against Baldwin Wallace University (27-15; 14-4 OAC) in the Regional Semifinals. Despite hosting and being the higher seed, the Cougars would play as the away team in this matchup. The Yellow Jackets would exploit the home field advantage and run away with a 10-8 win.

Inside the Box Score:
•    CUC out-hit BW 17-12 but was still outscored 10-8.
•    BW's Jacob Bonner (3-4) sent in three RBI's including the two that took the late 7-6 lead. 
•    BW outscored CUC 7-2 from the sixth inning forward. 

Connor Brandon kicked off the scoring in the second inning with a one-out solo blast to right-centerfield to give the Cougars an early 1-0 lead. 
 

BB: Connor Brandon starts off hot with the home run to right center! Cougars lead the Yellow Jackets 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 2nd. #d3b pic.twitter.com/yb6f3Kt5yN

— CUC Athletics (@CUChicagoSports) May 18, 2019

With Alex Crinigan(5-2) doing his job effectively on the mound, CUC still held the lead going into the third inning. Concordia-Chicago would soon capitalize off of the Yellow Jacket's sloppy play. A drop-third-strike allowed Matt Fauth to reach first base and then a hit by pitch granted Jose Mercado a free base immediately thereafter. Bryan Vanduser would exploit the opportunity and single in Fauth, increasing the lead to 2-0.                                            

Vanduserstruck again in the fourth inning, delivering a bases loaded double scoring two and giving the Cougars a little bit more breathing room with a 4-0 advantage.  

Baldwin Wallace repeated the same narrative that they used in their first game of the regional and started a comeback in the middle innings. With two men on base, Philip Wells doubled to clear the bases. Shortly after the double, Jacob Bonner drove in Wells with a single to deep center field. Crinigan forced a lineout to help CUC escape the inning still up 4-3. 

It did not take long for the Cougars to answer back. Mateo Calle, Justin Rodriguez, and Fauth had consecutive singles with Fauth's ending in an RBI. Keegan Tyrell joined in on the hitting by slapping a single to right field that ended up scoring Fauth from second base and extending the lead to 6-3. 

Moving into the bottom of the sixth inning, Baldwin Wallace was not intimidated by the CUC answer. Brandon Dim's single would set up a two-run home run for Alex Ludwick and bring the Yellow Jackets within one run. After the next two batters reached base, storms ironically took over the Thunderdome and play would be postponed for the next morning. The nightmare inning continued for CUC and they would go into the eighth down 9-6. 

Mercado reeled the momentum right back with a two-run moonshot over the left-centerfield fence to cut the lead to 9-8. 
 

BB: GOING, GOING, GONE! Jose Mercado clears the bases and cuts the Baldwin Wallace lead to one run with a homer to left center! Cougars trail 9-8 in the top of the 8th. #d3b pic.twitter.com/OghY2ow9oB

— CUC Athletics (@CUChicagoSports) May 19, 2019

An insurance run for Baldwin Wallace would conclude the scoring and Concordia-Chicago would fall 10-8. 

The Cougars will play shortly versus Buena Vista in an elimination game for a bid to the championship.