RIVER FOREST, ILL. – In year six under Head Coach
Kolin Conner, the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) baseball team excelled in their best season since 2019, sailing to a 26-16 overall record and a 16-8 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) record. The Cougars made a return to the NACC tournament by clinching the three seed.
"The "special group" line is one we rode all year," Coach Conner noted on the season. "They needed to be convinced and they needed to be loved in order to be coached. We had a great group of seniors and leaders and the great part about the younger guys was they showed up ready to work and they pushed the older guys. They embraced the importance of being together and building that chemistry. We had a lot of fun this year and it was cool to see guys just be such big fans of each other. We all grew a ton this year."
Season Recap
The Cougars battled an early off field opponent as their originally scheduled three-game Kentucky Tournament was forced to be cancelled due to weather. With less than two days' notice, the Cougars found space in Greenwood, Ind. to play two of their originally scheduled opponents in a one-day trip to The Hoosier State. The Cougars took on Franklin College in their season opener, falling 4-3 in a game that came down to the ninth inning. With not much time to waste, the Cougars took the field right away yet again to take on North Park University, downing the Vikings 9-8 for their first win of the season. The Cougars trailed early in the game, but big time hits from
Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.),
Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.), and
Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) would put the Cougars in a good spot for
Xavier Zagerman (Chandler, Ariz.) to launch his first career home run and put the Cougars up 6-3. The Vikings would take the lead heading into the ninth inning, putting the pressure on the Cougars to re-write the story of game one. Base hits from Krater,
Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.), and
Brendan Holloway (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would put the Cougars in a favorable position. With two outs and the winning run on base, a ball into centerfield from Boswell would give the Cougars the walk off win to close the opening weekend.
A few short days later, the Cougars would hop on a plane to The Sunshine State for their annual spring break trip to play in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Cougars would face a hearty schedule, playing nine games in nine days. The squad go 5-4 in the tournament, picking up big time wins over Grove City College, Carthage College, Saint Mary's University, Wartburg College, and College of St. Scholastica (CSS). In the losses to Allegheny College, Anderson University, Mount St. Joseph University, and Chatham University, the Cougars would fall by narrow margins each time. In the final game of the trip, the Cougars would go back and forth with the CSS until a go-ahead double from Zagerman would allow for
Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.) to pitch a quick three up, three down to end the trip with a thrilling victory.
Back to the cold air in the Midwest, the Cougars took on three College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) schools in Elmhurst University, North Central College, and Wheaton College. The Cougars would go 2-1 against the CCIW with big time wins over Elmhurst and Wheaton and get prepped to start NACC play.
The Cougars would start NACC play on March 22
nd with their first home series of the year, where they would take on Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), who would later go on to win the NACC regular season and tournament. The Cougars would drop both contests against the Raiders, but would not back down without a fight. Game one saw things come down to the final inning after the Raiders jumped ahead early. The Cougars would hold them scoreless for four consecutive innings due to seven straight innings of heat on the mound from
Dylan Scott (Bartlett, Ill.) and give the offense a chance to catch back up. Chipping away one run at a time, the Cougars would head to the bottom of the ninth trailing by one. Despite hits from
Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) and Krater, they wouldn't be able to capitalize on the momentum and fall 4-3. Game two saw a slightly different narrative as the Cougars would jump ahead 2-1 after the first inning with hits from Dorsch, Kasik, and
Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.). Despite this early lead, the Raiders would attack relentlessly and leave the Cougars 0-2 in NACC play to start the season.
With another non-conference matchup on the docket, the Cougars would host North Park where a dominant day behind the bats would give the Cougars the 16-10 win and their first home win of the year. Home runs from Dorsch, Krater, and Boswell paired with eight different Cougars registering RBIs, they would jump right back into conference play. With a split against Dominican University, the Cougars would jump on a four game win streak for the second time of the season with wins over St. Norbert College, and Benedictine University. In the game two win over Dominican,
Dylan Ferraro (Windsor, Colo.) would pick up a new career-high eight strikeouts, helping the Cougars to their first shutout of the season. CUC would go on to down the Eagles of Benedictine in game one of that series, securing their first win over the Eagles since 2023 with a solo home run from J. Mahler paired with additional hits from
Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.), B. Mahler, and Krater. The combined efforts from
Ryan Renella (Bartlett, Ill.),
Bryce Jones (Ottowa, Ill.),
Connor FitzGerald (Chicago, Ill.), and
Jack Linko (New Lenox, Ill.) would help to secure the 3-0 victory and the team's second shutout of the season.
The Cougars would pick up a home sweep over Edgewood College on Alumni Day, picking up their third shutout of the season with strong pitching from
Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.) and Higgins who would go five and four innings on the mound, respectively. Gearing up for back-to-back series on the road, the Cougars would head to Montgomery, Ill. to take on the Aurora University Spartans, picking up their first win over the Spartans since 2019. The game one win would come off hits from all but one starting Cougar while both pinch hitters that came in also registered a hit. Sweeps of Marian University and Lakeland University would be broken up by a dropped series against Rockford University where an 11 inning loss plagued CUC.
On senior day, the Cougars down Lakeland 20-4 and 7-3 with career-best games happening left and right. In game one, Krater would go four-for-five at the plate with a career-high seven RBIs while collecting two doubles, a single, and a three-run homer. Dorsch also found momentum in game one going three-for-four at the plate with four RBIs and one homer. In game two, the Cougars showed no signs of slowing down as Dorsch tacked on two additional home runs while going three-for-four at the plate. Krater picked up his second home run of the day while adding in three RBIs to his seven from game one.
The sweep over Lakeland would kickstart the seven game win streak, the longest win streak since a 24-game win streak in 2019. CUC would hit the road to the Southside for a matchup with the Illinois Institute of Technology Scarlet Hawks, where the Cougars would see a combined total of 48 hits across both games. The Cougars would pick up their most combined runs since 2023 while the 26 hits in game two would be the most single-game hits since the 2019 Super Regional team picked up 26 hits against Dominican. On the day, the Cougars collected seven home runs and 16 doubles. Krater, J. Mahler, B. Mahler, Kasik, and Zagerman would all contribute long balls while Krater would be responsible for three.
CUC would stay on the road for a Saturday series against Wisconsin Lutheran College, picking up the 5-2 and 9-0 sweep, extending the win streak, picking up their fourth and final shutout of the season, and clinching their spot in the 2025 NACC Tournament. On the day, the Cougars held momentum entirely, with J. Mahler leading the way with three hits, two RBIs, and one double while Zagerman trailed right behind with two hits, two RBIs, and a double. Five Cougars stole bags on the day with Dorsch, Zagerman, Holloway, and
Cam Buckley (New Lenox, Ill.) each pulling two while Krater and Hickman tacked one on each. On the mound, Scott picked up his fifth and final win of the year going six innings on the bump with four strikeouts. With the sweep, the Cougars would extend to a 15-7 NACC record and officially clinch their spot in the NACC Tournament for the third time under Coach Conner's direction.
In one last non-conference matchup of the season, the Cougars would host the University of Chicago, a team that would later go on to secure an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Regional Tournament. The Cougars would down the Maroons 7-5, once again asserting their dominance and extending their win streak out to seven. In the victory, the hold the lead heading into the final inning where Higgins would pick up a strikeout, Kasik would secure a diving catch, and B. Mahler would catch a UChicago runner too slow back to first to secure the win.
With one last doubleheader to close out the regular season, the Cougars would host the Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) Falcons, falling in game one and breaking the win streak. The Cougars would bounce back in game two and pick up the 11-1 victory in seven innings to close the season on a high note and earn Coach Conner his 100
th win as a head coach.
With the regular season done and over with it left only the highest stakes yet – The 2025 NACC Tournament. The Cougars would enter the tournament as the #3 seed, meaning they would evade the day one elimination game. After waiting for the results of the elimination game, the Cougars would face off against the #6 seed in Edgewood. Earlier this season, the Cougars swept the Eagles 8-7 and 3-0, but couldn't find the same momentum in the tournament. The Eagles would strike first with two runs in the second inning before a stalemate would encounter for five innings. The Eagles would tack on another two runs in the top of the eighth before being held off in the top of the ninth. With CUC trailing by four in the bottom of the ninth, a leadoff triple for Krater would put one runner in scoring position while a single from B. Mahler would score the run. With runners on first and second, a single through the right side from
Connor Jerkatis (New Lenox, Ill.) would move the runners, but a close play at the plate would result in an out and not a needed run, leaving the Cougars down to their final two outs. A double play would close the game with the 4-1 loss for the Cougars and give them a hard path to the championship.
Game two of the tournament would be a matchup with Benedictine, who the Cougars split with earlier in the season. With both teams facing elimination, tensions were high from the start. The Eagles would take the early 1-0 lead after the first inning before tacking two more on in the top of the second. A solo homer from Boswell would break things open for the Cougars while a double from Buckley paired with a stolen base and a sacrifice fly would score and make it a 3-2 deficit. With the Eagles jumping out 6-2 in the fifth inning, the Cougars would get one run back off the most untraditional way around the base paths. Buckley would reach first on an error and then take second and third on a passed ball and score on a wild pitch to make it a 6-3 deficit. Trailing 10-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, hits from Boswell, Linko, Dorsch, and Kasik would move runners around and put two runs on the board, but leave just short and close their season with the 10-6 loss.
"We pitched it well almost all year. Our pitchers kept us in games and won us some games," said Coach Conner. "When you can do that on the mound you have a chance to win some games. The cool part about the pitching staff was the depth of it – we had 10-12 guys with double digit appearances. Bullpen was strong with the rotation taking steps in the right direction. It was great to see, but we expect them to do some of the heavy lifting next year and we believe they're ready for it. Offensively, we gave ourselves a chance again and we take great pride in all facets, but the offense has been my baby since I started here. It was fun to watch it make another shift into being multi-dimensional. We ran bases better, we cut down on strikeouts, and we slugged at a productive level. The lineup will be a little different next year, but I am confident that the guys in there will be prepared and ready for the challenge. Pitching and defense wins championships."
Postseason Honors
The Cougars secured 11 All-Conference honors:
Bryce Jones (Ottawa, Ill.),
Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.),
Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.), and
Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) all earned first team accolades,
Ryan Renella (Bartlett, Ill.),
Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.),
Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.), and
Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) earned second team honors, while
Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.),
Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.), and
Dylan Ferraro (Windsor, Colo.) picked up honorable mention. This is the most single-season All-Conference accolades under Coach Conner's reign. To read the full 2025 NACC All-Conference release
click here.
The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) / Rawlings announced their 2025 Division III All-Region Teams on May 27th with three Cougar athlete's name written on the list.
Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.), Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.), and
Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) each earned Second Team recognition for their star-studded seasons. To read the full ABCA/Rawlings All-Region release
click here.
Five members of the Concordia University Chicago baseball team have earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.
Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.),
Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.),
Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.),
Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.), and
Dylan Ferraro (Windsor, Colo.) all excelled on the field and in the classroom this season. To read the full CSC Academic All-District release
click here.
Graduating Seniors
The Cougars graduated ten seniors this season with one of the most influential classes of Cougar Baseball under Coach Conner's direction. "We're forever in debt to these guys," he noted. "They went on a heck of a ride with us and they stood right by my side along the way. I was just pumped that they got a chance to experience some success because they deserve it after helping me build this thing back and turning it into something that can sustain itself. We used to be a team, now it's back to being a program and that is a huge thanks to them."
They lose five pitchers in
Jackson Brigham (Rolling Meadows, Ill.),
Connor FitzGerald (Chicago, Ill.),
Malachi Mabins (Kankakee, Ill.),
Dax Meyer (Lombard, Ill.), and
Bryce Jones (Ottawa, Ill.). These five pitchers contributed significant innings while Jones led the team in appearances this season.
In the field, the Cougars lose three infield positions and two outfield positions in
Michael Kasik (Chandler, Ariz.) at first base,
Yashion Boswell (Lynwood, Ill.) and second base,
Tyler Krater (Phoenix, Ariz.) at third base,
Elijah Hickman (Rensselaer, Ind.) at centerfield, and
Tyler Dorsch (Phoenix, Ariz.) at right field. Kasik was the lone Cougar to start and play in all 42 games this season, while Boswell appeared in all 42. Dorsch, Krater, and Hickman all started and appeared in 41 games this season.
Dorsch wrapped up his career in the top ten in the Cougar record book in five career categories: highest batting average (#9 - .361), highest slugging percentage (#5 - .602), highest on base percentage (#6 - .462), most runs scored (#10 - 149), and most home runs (#8 - 24).
Hickman wrapped up his career in the top ten in the Cougar record book for most career triples (#8 - 8), most career walks (#3 - 118), most career stolen bases (#3 - 74), and most individual season stolen bases (#4 - 27).
Kasik wrapped up his career in the top ten in the Cougar record book for most career home runs (#10 -22).
Krater wrapped up his career in the top ten in the Cougar record book for most career home runs (#6 - 25) and most single-season home runs (#10 -11).
Impactful Returners
"All-Region DH is back, experience behind the plate, two outfield spots, and a ton of returners on the mound. We have all four starters back and only lose 65 of the 366 innings pitched this season, which is why we have some higher expectations for the staff and we're going to help them with this task. But they're ready for it."
The Cougars return a lot of strength highlighted by the duo of
Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) and
Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) heading into their senior season. J. Mahler led the squad this season with a .380 batting average highlighted by 60 total hits, 18 doubles, and six home runs while driving in 33 runs. J. Mahler earned a series of accolades for his star-studded junior season and looks to continue to lead into the next season. B. Mahler saw the most action of any Cougar catcher behind home plate where he made 31 appearances on 26 starts while batting .283 with 30 total hits on eight doubles and two home runs while driving in 20 runs.
Other key returners include
Xavier Zagerman (Chandler, Ariz.) and
Richie Sperando (Darien, Ill.) returning as infielders,
Cam Buckley (New Lenox, Ill.) and
Brendan Holloway (Vernon Hills, Ill.) returning as outfielders, and
Dom Owens (Frankfurt, Ill.) and
Connor Jerkatis (New Lenox, Ill.) returning as catchers. On the pitching staff, the Cougars will return all four starters in
Ryan Renella (Bartlett, Ill.),
Dylan Ferraro (Windsor, Colo.),
Dylan Scott (Bartlett, Ill.), and
Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.). In addition, All-Conference closer
Eliot Higgins (Park Ridge, Ill.) will return for his senior season after leading the pitching staff in saves with four while earning a 3-0 record.
Some additional returners include
Jack Linko (New Lenox, Ill.),
Josiah King (Fairland, Ind.),
Reid Benner (Pittsboro, Ind.), Jeffery Beckert (Mount Prospect, Ill.),
Jack Carroll (North Aurora, Ill.), Kadin Borck (McHenry, Ill.),
Kyle Connelly (New Lenox, Ill.),
Allen Mateo (Austell, Ga.),
Blake Hickey (Chicago, Ill.),
Ryker Keller (Troy, Ill.),
Kyle Ston (Winfield, Ill.), David Deimling (Bloomingdale, Ill.), and
Anthony Pullano (Park Ridge, Ill.).
Statistical Leaders
Batting
Batting Average – Jake Mahler, .380
Slugging Percentage – Tyler Krater, .653
Runs Scored – Michael Kasik, 43
Hits – Michael Kasik & Tyler Dorsch, 62
Runs Batted In – Tyler Dorsch, 50
Home Runs – Tyler Krater, 11
Walks – Elijah Hickman, 33
Stolen Bases – Elijah Hickman, 27
Pitching
Earned Run Average (ERA)* – Ryan Renella, 3.52
Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP)* – Ryan Renella, 1.43
Innings Pitched – Ryan Renella, 53.2
Strikeouts – Ryan Renella, 39
Walks Allowed – Ryan Renella, 26
Fielding
Putouts – Michael Kasik, 335
Assists – Yashion Boswell, 84
Fielding Double Plays – Michael Kasik, 25
*Minimum of 1 IP/G
Highlights
"We achieved our goals this season because of consistent motivation from the coaching staff," Coach Conner said. "Consistent effort for staff and players and overall consistent belief no matter what. This summer we're getting a structure in place so we can start building the foundation for this fall and next spring. The more the guys can get together over the summer the more ready we will be when they get back. Our program is built on a vision and togetherness."
Keep up with the Cougars in the offseason by following them on X and Instagram @CUCBaseball. Rosters, schedules, and more in the offseason can also be found at cucougars.com.
