AUBURNDALE, FLA. – On the final day of their spring break trip, the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) Cougars secured one last win in the Sunshine State, defeating the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM) Cougars 8-5.
 
INSIDE THE BOX

• Christian Jacob (Scottsdale, Ariz.) would lead the bats for the Cougars going two-for-four with three RBIs and picking up his first homerun of the season.
• Westin Stutzman (Goshen, Ind.) pitched six complete innings while picking up a career-high ten strikeouts and only allowing three runs.

A scoreless game for the first one and a half innings would give the Cougars the opportunity to take the lead as a seven hit-seven run inning would be the difference maker in the game. Leading things off for CUC, a double to center field from Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) would immediately put the first run in scoring position. A follow-up ball out to center field from Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) would send Kasik home while one batter later and single to right field from Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) would send Dorsch home and put the Cougars up 2-0. Senior Carter Gledhill (Arlington Heights, Ill.) found his way on base after getting hit by a pitch and advancing Krater to second before a perfectly placed bunt from Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) would load the bases up. A wild pitch would move everyone around one spot while Jacob took to the plate and sent a long ball over the left field fence, extending the Cougar lead to 6-0.
 
Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) added to the fun and grabbed a triple out to center field before Kasik, making his return in the same inning would send Cajigas home after a single through the right side.
 
With Stutzman working on the mound, the Cougars quickly found their way back to the bats after back-to-back strikeouts from Stutzman would close the top of the third in only three batters. In the top of the fourth, UMM was able to pick up two runs off of two hits while CUC continued to work defensively.

Heading to the bottom of the sixth, Jacob kicked things off once again after singling up the left side. A single up the left side from Cajigas would send Jacob to third before a double from Kasik would score Jacob and give the Cougars their final run of the day.

CUC would allow a handful of runs in the closing three innings, but would hang on to their 8-5 lead and pick up one last win on the week. CUC closes their time at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational 4-3 while improving to 6-4 overall. They hit the road next weekend for one last weekend trip before jumping full swing into conference play as they take on three games against Centre College in Danville, Ky.
 
Coverage can be found at cucougars.com while all photos from the season can be found at cucougars.com/photos.