MEQUON, Wis. --- The Concordia University Chicago baseball team hit the road on Sunday afternoon for two NACC road contests against the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors. Because of field conditions, the two contests were moved to the turf field of Concordia University Wisconsin this afternoon. Wisconsin Lutheran was able to score early in game one, defeating CUC 6-3. The Cougars then came back to take the nightcap 7-4, behind a 14 hit offensive effort.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Michael Zavoli had a big day in game two, going 3-5 with two RBI's.
• Christian Jacob hit the second homer of his career in game one.
• The CUC bullpen was nearly perfect on the day, allowing just two hits and one unearned run over eight innings of work.

GAME ONE
Wisconsin Lutheran grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first. After an error and a couple of walks, a double play nearly got CUC out of trouble, but a wild pitch allowed WLC to take an early 2-0 lead. The Cougars answered back in the top of the third. A walk led off the inning for the Cougars. Jamie Sandoval and Elijah Hickman followed with singles to load the bases. A sac fly and an RBI groundout brought home Sandoval and Hickman to tie the game at two.

After WLC plated a run in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead, the Cougars had the answer once again. With one out Christian Jacob lifted a line drive over the wall in left for his first homer of the season, tying the game at three.

The Warriors responded with two runs of their own on two hits in the bottom of the fourth. They then extended the lead to 6-3 on an error in the sixth. CUC tried to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth when they loaded the bases, but a double play thwarted the chance at a comeback.

Westin Stutzman took the loss, working four innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits. Wyatt McLaughlin and Anthony Pullano both worked a pair of innings in relief, with McLaughlin surrendering just one unearned run.

GAME TWO
Looking to earn the split, the Cougars got the offense going early in game two. In the top of the second, the Cougars plated the opening run of the game, when Caleb Anderson lifted a sac fly to center field, scoring Aidan Donovan who led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch.

CUC then extended their lead to 4-0 in the third. Michael Zavoli led off the inning with a single to left. Howie Hatton followed with a deep triple to right-center scoring Zavoli. One out later Michael Kasik singled to right, scoring Hatton. The inning kept going, as Donovan picked up a hit, and Cooper Hynes drew a walk to load the bases. An RBI groundout plated the fourth and final run of the inning for CUC.

WLC fought their way back in the bottom of the inning, picking up four runs on three hits. The scoring subsided from there until the top of the sixth. Hynes and Anderson started the inning off with singles to center. After a pitching change, Sandoval loaded the bases with an infield single. Two outs later it would be Zavoli with a single to center giving the Cougars a 5-4 lead.

CUC added on insurance runs in the top of the eighth. An Anderson single and two walks loaded the bases to open the inning. It then was Zavoli again with a single through the left side scoring one. CUC added one more in the inning to take a 7-4 lead.

Cole Carman came on to work the final two innings for CUC, striking out three to earn the save. Zach Litke earned his second win of the season, working five innings while striking out six. Chandler Kerr also made an impact in relief, allowing just one hit over his two innings of work.

The Cougars will be back in action on Tuesday afternoon when North Park makes a return trip to River Forest for non-conference action. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm from CUC Field. You can find links to coverage at cucougars.com/coverage.