RIVER FOREST, ILL. -- The Concordia University Chicago (CUC) baseball team took the home field for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) doubleheader against the Lakeland University Muskies where the Cougars found monstrous success from their offense and lockdown efforts from their defense to complete the weekend sweep. Prior to the games, the Cougars honored their ten seniors in
Jackson Brigham (Rolling Meadows, Ill.),
Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.), Connor FitzGerald (Chicago, Ill.), Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.), Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.), Malachi Mabins (Kankakee, Ill.). Dax Meyer (Lombard, Ill.), Bryce Jones, Ill.
(Lynwood, Ill.), and
Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.).
GAME ONE: 20-4 W
INSIDE THE BOX
- Krater led at the plate going four-for-five at the plate with a career-high seven RBIs while collecting two doubles, a single, and a three-run homer with one stolen base. Krater also tacked on two runs of his own while having a clean day in the field.
- Dorsch followed behind going three-for-four at the plate with four RBIs and two runs of his own. Dorsch collected a homerun and a sac fly while also having a clean day in the field.
- Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) rounded out the home runs for the Cougars sending a solo shot over the left field fence while going three-for-four at the plate with three RBIs and three runs of his own.
- Dylan Scott (Bartlett, Ill.) went six innings on the mound picking up three strikeouts in his 29 batters faced.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Muskies got things underway right away and took an early 1-0 lead over the Cougars off two hits in the top of the first. CUC would waste no time jumping retaliating back with a leadoff single from Dorsch paired with a double up the middle from Kasik to put runners on second and third. With runners already in scoring position, a sac fly from Mahler would score one and move Kasik over to third. A hard hit ball to short would give Kasik enough time to cross home plate and put the Cougars up 2-1 after one full inning.
- A quick three batter inning would hand things right back over to th Cougar hitters where Brendan Holloway (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would jump start things with a single of his own paired with a single from Hickman to put runners on first and second. Richie Sperando (Darien, Ill.) would put a double deep into left field and give enough time for Holloway to score and put Hickman on third. A hard hit ball to shortstop would let Hickman score and move Sperando to third with only one out on the board. A single from Kasik paired with an error from the right fielder would allow another run to score and force a pitching change from the Muskies.
- Fresh off the pitching change, a single from Mahler would put two runners on base while a homer to deep right field from Krater would clear the bags and put the Cougars up 8-1, marking the first out of park ball of the day.
- In the top of the third, two swinging strikeouts for Scott would close the inning with no damage done and yet again hand things right back over to the Cougar bats. Holloway would lead off the inning yet again, taking the free base off a walk and a single bunt from Hickman would advance the runner and eventually put runners on second and third. A sac fly from Sperando would allow Holloway to score while another sac fly from Dorsch would allow Hickman to score and put the Cougars up 10-1 after three complete innings.
- The Muskies would try to answer back with a three run homer of their own in the top of the fourth, but Mahler would steal all momentum right back with a solo shot off the first pitch in the bottom of the fourth and keep the Cougars ahead 11-4. A quick top fo the fifth would see the end of the inning with one hit and force another pitching change from the Muskies heading into the bottom of the fifth.
- With the new arm, the Cougars would put a runner on base after a walk for Hickman paired with a stole base would put him in scoring position while a single to right field would score the runner. With Sperando on second after the throwing error from the Muskies, a single from Dorsch, a fielder's choice from Kasik, and a single from Mahler woud score Sperando to put the Cougars ahead 13-4. A double to left field from Krater would score two while Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would would put a ball deep into the outfield and score another. With a single to right field from Boswell, the Cougars would officially go up 17-4.
- With the Cougar defense on lockdown once again, a scoreless inning for the Muskies would once again hand things right back to the CUC offense where doubles from Krater, Kasik, and Hickman and a two run homer from Dorsch would put the Cougars ahead 20-4, marking this as the highest scoring game since 2023.
- Heading into the top of the seventh with the possibility to close the game out, the Cougars would throw Blake Hickey (Chicago, Ill.) on the mound where he would close the inning allowing two hits and no runs to close game one with the final score 20-4.
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE: 7-3 W
INSIDE THE BOX
- Dorsch led at the plate in game two going three-for-four at the plate with two RBIs and three runs of his own. He picked up two home runs in the game as well as a double to bring him to three home runs on the day.
- Krater picked up his second homer of the day going one-for-five at the plate with three RBIS and one run of his own.
- Dom Owens (Frankfurt, Ill.) went three-for-four at the plate with one RBI and one run on the day while picking up two doubles in the game.
- Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.) picked up the win in game two going six innings on the mound with three strikeouts in 23 batters faced.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Muskies were warded off in the top of the first inning with one strikeout in four batters to give the Cougars the chance to strike first in game two. Taking advantage of this opportunity, a leadoff double from Dorsch paired with a walk for J. Mahler would put two runners on base for yet another Krater home run to put the Cougars up 3-0 in the inning.
- Heading to the top of the second with an early 3-0 lead, the Cougars got to work defensively once again. Another pair of strikeouts from Southard would close the inning and give CUC the chance to extend their lead. Once again taking advantage of the opportunity, a solo homer from Dorsch would put the Cougars up 4-0.
- A quick three up, three down inning in the field would hand things right back to the CUC offense, but the Cougars would be unable to capitalize and hold onto the ir 4-0 lead.
- Things would stay steady until the bottom of the fifth where a lead baserunner would make his way on after J. Mahler wore a pitch off the arm. A stolen base turned extra base off error for J. Mahler would put a runner 90-feet from the plate while a double from Owens would score the run regardless. With the Muskies switching up arms on the mound, Owens would still eventually find his way across home plate and put the Cougars ahead 6-0 heading to the top of the sixth.
- The Muskies would put their first runs of the game up off a two run drive to chip away at the CUC lead. The score would sit stagnant until the top of the eighth where an unearned run from the Muskies would continue to chip away at the CUC lead and make it a three run lead for the Cougars.
- Needing to find an answer, the Cougars would turn to Dorsch would would send his third homer of the day, second of the game, over the centerfield fence for a deep solo homer to put the Cougars ahead 7-3.
- With Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.) coming in to close the game for the Cougars, a quick three up, three down would secure the win and the senior day sweep for the Cougars.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Cougars will be back in action on Wednesday as they head to the southside to take on the Illinois Institute of Technology Scarlet Hawks in a NACC doubleheader. First pitch is slated for noon and coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
