AUBURNDALE, FLA. – In a battle between two Concordia schools, the Concordia University Chicago Cougars (CUC) took on the Concordia University Texas Tornados (CTX) where they ultimately fell 9-8, in a heartbreaking finish.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Christian Jacob (Scottsdale, Ariz.) led Cougars offensively with three hits and one RBI.
- Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) grabbed two hits on the day while securing one RBI.
- Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) and Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) both went fifty percent at the plate going six-for-three and two-for-four, respectively.
The Cougars took the field first where junior pitcher
Wyatt McLaughlin (Cave Creek, Ariz.) started things out strong. Forcing a fly ball to left field followed by a strikeout and a groundout back at McLaughlin, the Cougars took to the bats. Remaining scoreless for the entirety of the first three innings, it wasn't until the top of the fourth where CTX would get themselves on the board. Jumping out to a four-run lead, CTX took the lead and never looked back.
Needing to get something going offensively, a massive triple sent to the right field fence from Dorsch would jumpstart the offense and put himself in scoring position. A wild pitch would give Dorsch enough time to steal home and put CUC on the board for the first time of the day.
Unable to get the bats going until the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars once again found a spark after
Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) wore a pitch that put him on base to lead the inning off. A single to left field would then advance Hickman into scoring position. With
Garry Maynard (Oswego, Ill.) at the plate, the senior would drop a ball to left field where a tough throw to home would manage to grab Hickman before being able to score. Needing to bounce back,
Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) kept the train chugging along and singled out to center field to fill the bases for
Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) to drop one out to left field and send Jacob and Maynard home. A single from
Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) would be enough to send Cajigas across the plate and bring the Cougars within one run.
Giving up another run in the top of the eight,
Mike Tobin (Hickory Hills, Ill.) took to the bump to retire the inning and give the Cougars the chance back at the bats. CTX continued to be relentless and put up three runs in the top of the ninth and put the pressure on CUC. Needing five runs to stay alive, the Cougars got to work off back-to-back walks for Dorsch and Krater followed by both of them advancing a base on a passed ball. A single through the left side for Mahler would send Dorsch home and start the Cougar comeback.
Carter Gledhill (Arlington Heights, Ill.) came in to pinch run for Mahler while
Caleb Anderson (Plainfield, Ill.) came in to pinch hit for
Jaime Sandoval (Oak Lawn, Ill.) where he sent a ball up the middle and scored Krater. With back-to-back hits for CUC, CTX would look to make a pitching change while the Cougars brought in
Sergio Vazquez Jr. (Concord, Calif.) to run for Anderson. With Hickman taking another walk to first, the bases became loaded with Jacob at the plate. Jacob, facing the same fate as Hickman, took a walk to first and scored Gledhill, bringing the Cougars within two runs. A single out to left center from Maynard would send Vazquez Jr. home where Hickman fell just short of beating the throw from left field and found himself out at home.
A single up the middle from Cajigas would fill the bases again with two outs, but the Cougars were unable to convert and fell short to the Tornados 9-8.
The Cougars wrap up their time in the Sunshine State tomorrow, March 11
th, against University of Minnesota Morris at 9:30am EST. Head to cucougars.com/coverage for updates.
