RIVER FOREST, ILL. – The Concordia University Chicago Cougars hosted the Illinois Institute of Technology Scarlet Hawks for a midweek Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) matchup. The Scarlet Hawks, ranked second in the NACC heading into today's games, would take game one, but the Cougars would steal a critical game two as the Cougars are battling for a way to squeeze into the conference tournament.
GAME ONE: 6-3 L
INSIDE THE BOX
- Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) went one for one at the plate today with a two-run homer and one stolen base.
- Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) picked up one RBI in the game with one hit.
- Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) went one for three at the plate with the lone double for the Cougars.
- Dylan Scott (Bartlett, Ill.) pitched four innings for the Cougars with two strikeouts in 16 batters faced.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cougars started out strong picking up three outs in three batters after a double play to end the inning held the Scarlet Hawks scoreless. In the top of the first, a walk for Dorsch paired with a stolen base would put him in scoring position for Kasik to send a single to left center and give the Cougars the 1-0 lead after one complete inning.
- The Scarlet Hawks would battle back right away with a leadoff single down the right field line paired with two consecutive walks to load the bases up with no outs. A strikeout, a flyout to Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) in centerfield, and a groundout to Alejandro Muñoz (Evergreen Park, Ill.) (Evergreen Park, Ill.) shortstop would get the Cougars out of a jam with no damage done.
- A fast three up, three down for the Cougars in the bottom of the second and three outs in four batters for the Scarlet Hawks in the top of the third would put the Cougars back behind the bats. A leadoff successful bunt from Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.) would put one runner on base for Dorsch to send a long ball over the left field fence onto Division Street would put the Cougars up 3-0.
- The Scarlet Hawks would answer back putting up one run in the top of the fourth while the Cougars would retire three batters in their half of the inning.
- The top of the fifth would ignite the Scarlet Hawks as four runs on two hits and five walks would give them the first lead of the day over the Cougars. With the Cougars hitting crunch time, now operating in a deficit for the first time of the day, a leadoff single from Muñoz would put one runner on base. A walk for Dorsch would put runners on first and second with two outs, but a ball hit right to third base would close the inning with the Cougars unable to do anything.
- In the top of the sixth, a leadoff single for the Scarlet Hawks would put one runner on base for a massive hit to left field to send the runner around the bases, but a fast paced relay from Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) in left field to Krater at third to Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) at home would get the out and stop the run from scoring. With a runner on third, a single up the middle would score one before back-to-back flyouts would close the inning with the Scarlet Hawks up 6-3.
- With the score sitting stagnant for the next two innings, the Cougars would fall 6-3 in game one of the double header.
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME TWO: 11-7 W
INSIDE THE BOX
- Kasik went 4-5 at the plate in game two with five RBIs including one double.
- Krater went 2-3 at the plate with two RBIs including one sacrifice fly, one stolen base, and one hit by pitch.
- Hickman and Dorsch each also recorded multiple hits in the game with both going 3-5 at the plate with three runs.
- Brady McCleery (Patterson, Calif.) started on the mound for the Cougars pitching 4.1 innings with four strikeouts in 21 batters faced while allowing four hits.
- Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.) picked up his first win of the season coming in for relief and pitching two innings while allowing two hits and no runs scored.
- Bryce Jones (Ottawa, Ill.) picked up his first save of the season after pitching two innings to close the game with one strikeout in seven batters faced while only allowing one hit.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Scarlet Hawks started off game two hot behind the bats with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second before a walk would load the bases up with no outs. The Cougars would be able to get out of the inning with only allowing one run to allow the Scarlet Hawks to take the early 1-0 lead.
- A leadoff single for Hickman in the bottom of the first would put a runner on base before a single up the middle for Dorsch would put two on. With Krater wearing (and catching) a pitch off his shoulder, the Cougars would load the bases up for Kasik. Kasik would take advantage of the bases loaded situation and single through the left side to send one run in. Attempting to sneak in on the single, Dorsch would get tagged out at the plate off the rocket throw from left field.
- Operating with one out now, a single to right field from Cajigas would score Krater and move Kasik over to third. After a walk for Dom Owens (Frankfort, Ill.) would load the bases up, a sacrifice fly for Caleb Anderson (Plainfield, Ill.) to score one run and put the Cougars up 3-1 heading to the top of the second.
- Three fast outs in the top of the second would put the Cougars back on their offensive side while they're still hot. A single from Hickman paired with a stolen base would put a runner in scoring position early in the inning. A single from Dorsch would put runners on first and second while a single for Krater through the left side would score one and keep runners at first and second. A double from Kasik to right center would send Dorsch home and put Krater on third to close the inning with the 5-1 lead.
- The Scarlet Hawks would tack on a run in the top of the third before the game would hit a stalemate for a few innings. The top of the fifth would see the Scarlet Hawks come to life and tie things up at five apiece as the Cougars continued to struggle to get back into the groove of things. The Scarlet Hawks would take the lead in the top of the sixth off three walks and one hit to take the lead back from the Cougars 7-5.
- In the bottom of the sixth, the Cougars kicked things off with a leadoff single to right field from Boswell paired with an infield single for Hickman to put two runners on base. A double to right field from Dorsch would score Boswell and move Hickman to third. A sacrifice fly from Krater to right field would give Hickman time to stroll across the plate and even the score at seven apiece with only one out.
- A single up the middle for Kasik would send Dorsch home as Kasik would squeeze his way into second on the attempted throw home and take third base on a passed ball. An infield groundout for Cajigas would give Kasik time to cross the plate and put the Cougars up 9-7 heading to the top of the seventh.
- Another few innings would pass with the score remaining at 9-7 in favor of the Cougars before the bottom of the eighth would break things open once again. With Dorsch at the plate and one out already, he would strikeout swinging but reach first on a passed ball while Krater would reach first on an error one batter later. "The Tylers" would successfully pull of the double steal and move themselves both into scoring position. A single to right field from Kasik would score both and put one runner on base. Owens would drop a single into left center and move Kasik to second, but the Cougars would be unable to convert and leave two runners on base, but successfully extended their lead to 11-7.
- With Jones dishing on the bump for the Cougars in the top of the ninth, a forced flyout to Hickman in center, a swinging strikeout, and a groundout to Muñoz at short to end the game with the Cougars successfully stealing the win.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Cougars face a quick turnaround as they host North Central College tomorrow, April 25
th, for a midweek non-conference matchup. The single game is set for a 3:00pm first pitch and will serve as the home finale for the Cougars. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
