AUBURNDALE, FLA. -- Kicking off their spring break games, the Concordia University Chicago Cougars took the field in the Sunshine State to take on the undefeated University of Dubuque Spartans.
INSIDE THE BOX
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Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) led the charge for the Cougars with two home runs on the day while going two-for-four at the plate and bringing in five RBIs.
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Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) also went two-for-four on the day while securing
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Wyatt McLaughlin (Cave Creek, Ariz.) picked up his first win of the season after pitching four innings and only allowing three hits and picking up four strikeouts.
The Cougars came out hot in the first inning after McLaughlin forced two plays in the field while picking a runner off at first. Unable to get things going offensively in the bottom of the first inning, the Cougar defense was back at work. Keeping a clean slate in the top of the second, the Cougars were back at the plate and ready to work.
Picking up three hits in the inning, the Cougars were jumpstarted by Dorsch as he picked up his first hit of the day followed by Carter Gledhill (Arlington Heights, Ill.) getting on base off a walk. With DH Caleb Anderson (Plainfield, Ill.) stepping up to the plate, a long ball sent to centerfield would send Dorsch home and put Gledhill in scoring position. A batter later, a wild pitch would send Gledhill home and get Anderson to third base. Following a series of walks, the Cougars found themselves with bases loaded with Cajigas at the plate. Taking a gamble on the first pitch, the junior transfer sent the ball over the left-field fence for his first homerun (and grand slam) in the maroon and gold, giving the Cougars a 7-0 lead heading into the top of the third inning.
Another three up three down inning on the bump for McLaughlin, the Cougars were back at the plate. As Dorsch sent a ball to left-center and put himself in scoring position, a single up the middle from Anderson would send Dorsch home and extend the Cougars' lead to 8-0.
With the Spartans ready to fight back, they were able to put up two runs on two hits before back-to-back strikeouts from McLaughlin ended the inning leaving three runners on base. With fresh blood on the mound for the Cougars, freshman Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.) stepped in and threw a complete inning while giving up one hit, one run, and securing one strikeout as the Cougars still held the lead 8-5.
A solo homer from Cajigas in the bottom of the fifth would jump the Cougars up to a 9-5 lead and give Cajigas his second homerun of the season.
To kick off the bottom of the sixth, Anderson would take a walk and senior
Garry Maynard (Oswego, Ill.) would enter the game as a pinch runner. A single up the line from shortstop
Jaime Sandoval (Oak Lawn, Ill.) would send Maynard to second and get him into scoring position with
Elijah Hickman at the plate. A ball hit to left field would give Maynard the time to get home and give the Cougars their last run of the day.
The back-and-forth between the two teams would leave senior reliever
Mike Tobin (Hickory Hills, Ill.) on the bump to end things for the Cougars after putting three consecutive balls into play with the defense easily able to back him up. The Cougars closed the game with a final score of 10-6, relieving the Spartans of their undefeated status.
The Cougars face a quick turnaround, as they will for the rest of the week, as they take on Wartburg College tomorrow at 9:00am EST. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage and on Twitter @cucbaseball.
Gallery: (3-4-2023) Baseball vs. Dubuque
