RIVER FOREST, ILL. – With bats ablaze and hearts racing, the Concordia University Chicago baseball team lived up to their fitting moniker, the "Cardiac Cougars", as they orchestrated a triumphant display on the diamond. In a whirlwind of determination and skill, the Cougars delivered a commanding performance at the plate, clinching a resounding conference sweep over their formidable adversaries and Division Street Rivals, the Dominican University Stars. With each swing and run scored, they embodied the spirit of resilience and tenacity, solidifying their reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC).
COACH KOLIN CONNER'S THOUGHTS
- "We took another step forward as a team today. It was a fun day and the fight is real. I just want our guys to realize whether you are on the field or in the dugout we do it together. When the players and coaches are intertwined you can do special things."
GAME ONE: 14-12 W
INSIDE THE BOX
- Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) picked up the most important hit of the day with the game winning homerun while going two for five at the plate with four RBIs.
- Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) picked up two homeruns in the game while going three for four at the plate with two RBIs.
- Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) and Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) also went yard with one homerun each.
- Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) had his second consecutive perfect game at the plate going three for three with two RBIs.
- Bryce Jones (Ottowa, Ill.) picked up his third win of the season with two innings pitched for two strikeouts while allowing no runs and no hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Stars struck first in the top of the first and took an early lead. The Cougars retaliated quickly after a solo homer from Dorsch over the centerfield wall tied things up. The Stars found their momentum in the second inning after a leadoff solo homer stole the lead and set them up for success. Nine runs off five total hits in the top of the second would put the Cougars in a nine run deficit with only five innings to play.
- Starting the bottom of the second in the same fashion as the top of the second, a rocket sent sky high over the left field fence would give the Cougars momentum. The bottom of the third would keep the momentum with the Cougars as a leadoff walk for Dorsch paired with a big time hit from Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would put runners on second and third. With two outs and a runner still on base, a single through the six hole from J. Mahler would send B. Mahler home to cut the Star lead to six.
- With runners on first and second and two outs, a strong composed double to right center from Nick Rensberger (Milford, Ind.) would score two and cut the deficit down to four.
- With Anthony Pullano (Park Ridge, Ill.) dishing on the mound, a strikeout paired with two groundouts to the infield would keep the Cougar batters hot heading into the bottom of the fourth.
- A leadoff triple from Dorsch would keep the trend of good things happening to start the inning before a single through the left side from Kasik would score Dorsch. Immediately after, a single in the exact same spot from Krater would advance Kasik to third and put runners on the corner bags. With his hit streak alive and thriving, J. Mahler would single through the left side as well and tack on another run. With Rensberger taking a leisurely stroll to first after four consecutive balls, a hit from Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) would score two and close the inning with the game all tied up at ten apiece.
- With Pullano still dishing on the mound, another three up three down would keep the field work to a minimum and give the Cougar bats the opportunity to stay hot once again.
- A leadoff homer from Cajigas would officially give the Cougars their first lead of the day in the bottom of the fifth before three quick outs would close the inning.
- The Stars retaliated quickly and regained the lead after a leadoff homerun paired with a walk and hit would put them ahead of the Cougars by one. With neither team able to make any movement in the bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh, the pressure would be put on the Cougar offense to end the game in the scheduled seven innings.
- With a leadoff single from Cajigas to start the bottom of the seventh, a pair of outs would put the Cougars once again operating in the danger zone. Stepping to the plate with the wind in his favor, Kasik would send a missile over the left field fence onto Division Street for a fairytale finish in walkoff fashion to secure the 14-12 victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME TWO: 18-4 W
INSIDE THE BOX
- Krater hit the lone homer of game two while also going two for five at the plate with three RBIs.
- Dorsch went two for two at the plate with one RBI.
- Kasik led the team in RBIs picking up five while going two for four at the plate.
- Sam Gordon (Orlando, Fla.) made his first appearance in the maroon and gold with a stellar two innings pitched for five strikeouts with ten batters faced while allowing no hits and no runs.
- Richard Gomez (Chicago, Ill.) picked up his second win of the season pitching 3.1 innings while allowing three run on four hits with one strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Stars looked to tell a similar tale as the first game by jumping ahead early after back to back singles put runners on the corner bags, but two strikeouts from Gordon would close the top half of the inning with no runs scored.
- With the Cougars jumping back into similar tendencies from game one, a single up the middle form Dorsch paired with a double from B. Mahler would put runners on the corners for a Kasik double to score both on base runner and put the Cougars up 2-0. A fly out from Krater would move Kasik to third where a single from J. Mahler would score Kasik and put the Cougars up 3-0.
- With things sitting stagnant at 3-0 for an inning, the Stars would cut into that lead in the top of the third after a walk and a single would score one run.
- With the score now sitting at 3-1, the Cougars would open the floodgates in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff walk from Rensberger would camp one on base. A strategically placed bunt from Hickman would put runners on first and second with both of them advancing on the next pitch after a passed ball. A single from Cajigas would send Renseberger home and put Hickman just 90 feet from the plate with Dorsch up to bat.
- In a picture perfect moment, a double steal would safely send Cajigas to second and Hickman to home to put the Cougars up 5-1. A tremendous triple from B. Mahler would score two and keep the Cougars riding the momentum train before a sacrifice fly from Kasik would send the final run of the inning in and put them up by seven.
- With Gomez still dealing on the mound, a pop fly and a line drive out to J. Mahler at second paired with a groundout to Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.) would close the inning in three batters.
- The Cougars would tack on another run in the bottom of the fifth after four consecutive walks while the Stars would tack on two runs in the top of the sixth to make it a six run game.
- The bottom of the sixth would be the "monster inning" for the Cougars despite having some intense momentum moments early in the game, but nine runs off three hits would open the floodgates. With a handful of Dominican errors and walks for the Cougars, the high scoring inning would be capitalized by a three run homer from Krater to officially put the Cougars up 18-3.
- Despite the Stars putting up one run in the top of the seventh, a swinging strikeout at the hands of David Gutierrez (Hesperia, Calif.) would close the game with the 18-4 victory for the Cougars.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Cougars continue NACC play this weekend as the head North to take on the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday, March 30
th with first pitch scheduled for noon. This will be the Cougars' first road conference game. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
