LISLE, ILL. – Taking on the nationally ranked Benedictine Eagles, the Concordia University Chicago Cougar baseball team fell in two games.
GAME ONE: 7-4 L
INSIDE THE BOX
- Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.) and Julio Cajigas (Romeoville, Ill.) both went two-for-three at the plate with one RBI each.
- Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) picked up two RBIs in the game off one hit while tacking on a stolen base.
- David Deimling (Bloomingdale, Ill.) pitched 4.1 innings allowing three runs, two of which were unearned.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A quiet few innings for the Cougars mirrored for the Eagles as things remained blank heading into the top of the fifth.
- A single from Caleb Anderson (Plainfield, Ill.) paired with a single to left field from Boswell would put a runner in scoring position after James Kloppke Jr. (Norridge, Ill.) entered the game as a pinch runner. With a walk to load the bases, a sacrifice fly from Cajigas would open the gate for Kloppke Jr. to slide home and secure the first run of the day.
- With runners now on second and third with two outs, a single from Dorsch would send two runs in and open the gates for the Cougars to close the inning with the 3-0 lead.
- Benedictine answered quickly by putting up six runs in the bottom of the fifth to steal the lead from the Cougars. With limited time to play in the scheduled seven inning game, the Cougars needed to get things going heading into the top of the sixth.
- A single from Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) paired with a hit by pitch for Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) would put two runners on for a single from Boswell to score one and cut the deficit down to two.
- With the Eagles adding a run in the bottom of the sixth, the Cougars had three outs to operate to keep the game alive. A leadoff single from Cajigas would start things off on a high note before back-to-back outs would leave them operating with two outs. With runners on second and third and two outs the Cougars would be unable to keep their at bat alive and close the game falling 7-4.
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME TWO: 10-7 L
INSIDE THE BOX
- Cajigas led in game two with two hits in four at bats while driving in two RBIs including one homerun.
- Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would also pick up two hits in four at bats while driving in two RBIs including one homerun.
- Sam Gordon (Orlando, Fla.) pitched four innings while picking up three strikeouts and allowing two runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With a runner on base early in the first inning, B. Mahler would jump start things with a two-run homer to get the Cougars on the board first once again.
- A double play early in the bottom of the second put two outs on the board for back-to-back walks to put an Eagle runner in scoring position. A killer strikeout from Gordon would close the inning with no damage done.
- Three outs in three batters for the Cougars put the pressure on the defensive side where the Eagles would put up one run and cut the Cougar lead in half.
- Operating with two outs, B. Mahler picked up a single and moved the runners around for a base hit to left field from Krater would send Dorsch home and tack on another run while leaving runners on the corner bags. Unable to convert on the on-base runners, the Cougars would close the top of the third extending their lead to 3-1.
- In the top of the fourth, with bases loaded, a hit from Hickman would score one and keep the inning alive and well for the Cougars before back-to-back strikeouts would close the inning with the Cougars leading 4-1.
- With the Eagles tacking on a run in the bottom of the fifth, tA he Cougars still led by a pair as the Cougars would close the top of the sixth in three batters.
- After Richard Gomez (Chicago, Ill.) successfully held the Eagles to a blank inning, the Cougars went back behind the bats to try to open things up.
- Hickman opened the top of the seventh wearing a pitch to put a runner on base. Facing a 3-0 count, Cajigas took a monster swing and sent a ball over the wall to put the Cougars up 6-2.
- As the Cougars hit crunch time to defend their lead, two walks, a single, and a hit by pitch would score a run and put the go ahead run for the Eagles at the plate. With the bases still loaded, a sacrifice fly and tag up run would make it a 6-5 game
- With only two innings to maintain their lead, the Cougars would face three quick outs while holding the lead 6-5 to force the defense to go to work.
- A big inning for the Eagles would put them up 10-6 heading into the top of the ninth with the Cougars only having three outs to make their attempt at a comeback.
- A leadoff walk for Connor Jerkatis (New Lenox, Ill.) would give Klopkke Jr. the pinch run where two consecutive wild pitches would move him to third base. A walk from Hickman would put runners on the corners for a sacrifice fly to score one but the Cougars would be unable to overcome the monster eighth inning and fall to the Eagles 10-7.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Cougars will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on the nationally ranked Aurora Spartans at home with first pitch set for noon. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
