RIVER FOREST, ILL. - The Concordia University Chicago baseball team took the home field for the first time of the 2025 season as they kicked off Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play with a doubleheader against the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Raiders. Despite late rallies, the Cougars would fall short in both games and fall to 8-8 overall and 0-2 in NACC play.
GAME ONE: 4-3 L
INSIDE THE BOX
- Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) and Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) both went two-for-four at the plate while Kasik picked up one RBI.
- Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) was the only other Cougar to pick up multiple hits in the game going two-for-five at the plate.
- Dylan Scott (Bartlett, Ill.) pitched seven innings for the Cougars picking up two strikeouts with 113 total pitches in 33 batters faced.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Raiders took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first before extending it to a two-run lead in the top of the second. Struggling to get things moving offensively, the Cougars only saw two on base in the first eight batters of the game.
- The Raiders would hang on to the 2-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning where the Cougars would put one run up on two hits after Kasik and Mahler would move runners around and let Kasik cross home on a wild pitch.
- The top of the seventh would see another run from the Raiders as two hits and an error would let one cross home. With three left on base, a line drive to Kasik at first close the inning and give the Cougars a chance to combat.
- A leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh from Brendan Holloway (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would get things moving while a walk for Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) would put two on base. A single from Dorsch would load the bases as a sacrifice fly from Kasik would put another on the board and bring the Cougars within one run at the end of seven full innings.
- The Raiders wouldn't slow down either and one more run off one hit would put them on top of the Cougars by tow, but CUC would hit the jets in their half of the inning. Operating with two outs, a walk from Holloway would put one on base while a double to center from Hickman would score and bring the Cougars back within one.
- A quick four-batter inning in the top of the ninth, at the hands of Kyle Connelly (New Lenox, Ill.) would put fate into the hands of the Cougar hitters. A late burst would start with a leadoff single from Kasik paired with an immediate single to right center from Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) would put runners on first and second. A fly from Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would move Kasik to third, but back-to-back outs would end the game with the tying run 90 feet from the plate.
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME TWO: 9-4 L
INSIDE THE BOX
- Kasik had a stellar game at the plate, going three-for-five in game two.
- J. Mahler went two-for-four while tacking on two RBIs.
- Two other Cougars recorded a multi-hit game with Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.) going two-for-four at the plate while Dorsch went two-for-five.
- Four Cougars worked the bump in game two with Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.) pitching five innings with three strikeouts while Bryce Jones (Ottowa, Ill.), Connor FitzGerald (Chicago, Ill.), Benjamin Tietyen (Oak Creek, Wis.), and Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.) each pitching one inning of relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Facing deja vu from game one, the Cougars fell behind early in the top of the first inning. Unlike game one, the Cougars battled back immediately and hits from Dorsch and Kasik would put runners on second and third while a double from Mahler would score two and give CUC their first lead of the day.
- The Raiders would answer right back after putting two on base for a double to score one while a groundout to short would score another and leave CUC trailing by two once again.
- A three up, three down for the Cougars would force CUC to play defense once again, but the Raiders would put two up and go ahead 5-2.
- CUC would slowly chip away at the MSOE lead putting one run up in the bottom of the third off the bat of Krater and a run in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Holloway to score Xavier Zagerman (Chandler, Ariz.).
- The Raiders would answer right back once again and put two runs off two hits and take the 7-4 lead in the top of the fifth, while adding another int he top of the sixth.
- For the remainder of the game, the Cougars would be unable to put another run on the board, but would leave runners stranded every inning. Despite picking up five hits in that timeframe, the Cougars would fall 9-4 in game two.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Cougars will be back in action at home for a non-conference matchup with the North Park Vikings on Monday, March 31st. First pitch is slated for 3:00pm and coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
