Tiffin, Ohio --- Hitting the road for a non-conference contest before the Easter holiday, the Concordia University Chicago baseball team took on Heidelburg University on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars' offense was alive on a brisk afternoon, pounding out 12 hits and scoring nine runs en route to a 9-4 win over Heidelburg.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Howie Hatton led the offense with three hits and two runs scored.
- Garry Maynard had a team-high three runs driven in on two hits.
- Eight of the nine CUC starters recorded a hit in the contest.
- Christian Jacob got the start on the mound and went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits.

CUC got the scoring started for the day in the top of the third. With two outs Hatton singled down the left-field line and then promptly took second on a wild pitch. Two walks followed to load the bases for Maynard. The junior then singled home two runs to give CUC a 2-0 lead.

Heidelburg worked to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. They were able to get two hits in the inning that helped to score the two runs. The second run of the inning was unearned because of a CUC error.

Concordia broke the game open in the top of the seventh. Aidan Donovan led off the inning with a double down the left-field line. Tyler Krater followed with an RBI single up the middle to give CUC a 3-2 lead. An error kept things going for CUC and put two on for Hatton, who singled up the middle to make it 4-2 CUC. The Cougars added on two more in the inning, one on an RBI groundout and another on a sac fly.

Heidelburg pulled back within 6-4 in the bottom half of the seventh when they plated two runs on three hits. CUC also made an error in the inning.

CUC added on insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Jaime Sandoval led off the inning with a single to right. One out later with Sandoval on second Elijah Hickman singled home Sandoval with a shot to center. One out later with Hickman on second Maynard singled home Hickman with a line shot up the middle. The Cougars then extended the lead to 9-4 when Michael Kasik hit a line triple to center field.

Anthony Pullano, Vincent Sartori, and Mike Tobin combined to throw three innings of relief, allowing just two runs to preserve the 9-4 win for Concordia.

The Cougars will return to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play on Monday afternoon against the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks. The first pitch is set for noon from River Forest. You can find links to coverage at cucougars.com/coverage.