CAROL STREAM, ILL. – Playing in the state of Illinois for the first time this season, the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) baseball team took the field against Wheaton College for their final non-conference matchup before Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play begins. The Cougars dominated from start to finish, picking up the 4-1 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) led at the plate going two-for-four with one RBI, including his fourth double of the season.
- Austin Koberstein (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Richie Sperando (Darien, Ill.) followed closely behind going two-for-four at the plate with each of them tacking on one run of their own.
- The only other Cougar to pick up an RBI on the day was Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) who went one-for-three with one RBI and one walk.
- Nine Cougars saw time on the mound for the Cougars, collecting seven total strikeouts while only allowing one run in 30 batters faced.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cougar offense got to work quickly with a walk for Cam Buckley (New Lenox, Ill.) paired with a single to left field for Koberstein to put two runners on in only six pitches thrown. J. Mahler would drop a slow roller in front of the plate that would move both runners into scoring position for a groundout from B. Mahler to send Buckley home and give the Cougars the early lead.
- With David Deimling (Bloomingdale, Ill.) getting the start on the mound for the Cougars, a quick three up, three down inning would send CUC right back behind their bats. Xavier Zagerman (Chandler, Ariz.) would get things started in the top of the second with a one-out single, but would get caught stealing second to put two outs on the board. Unable to convert with two outs, the Cougar defense would take the field with Samuel Beringer (Plainfield, Ill.) taking the mound. Three outs in four batters with the first strikeout of the day would close Beringer's inning out with a clean sheet.
- The Cougars would go down in order in the top of the third, but another effective inning on the mound, this time from Dylan Ferraro (Windsor, Colo.), would stop the Thunder from taking advantage. J. Mahler would pick up a leadoff double in the top of the fourth, but three consecutive outs would leave him stranded and once again put CUC back in the field.
- With Jack Linko (New Lenox, Ill.) on the mound, a leadoff strikeout would put one out on the board and the rest of the Cougar defense locking in with outs collected by Koberstein in left field and J. Mahler at second.
- The top of the sixth inning would see the Cougar offense sparking up yet again with the top of the order in Buckley picking up a single through the right side. Right after, Koberstein would send a ball right down the left field line and put two runners in scoring position. A goundout from J. Mahler would score Buckley in an eerily similar way as the top of the first before a wild pitch would give Koberstein time to score and put the Cougars up 3-0.
- With Kadin Borck (McHenry, Ill.) on the mound for the Cougars, three outs in four batters would send things right back to the offense for Sperando to pick up a leadoff single on the first pitch he saw, but would get stranded on second after picking up his second stolen base of the season.
- The bottom of the seventh would see Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.) taking the mound where the junior left-handed pitcher would pick up a strikeout to start the inning and then close the inning picking a runner off at first to continue to hold the Thunder scoreless.
- A hit for J. Mahler and a walk for B. Mahler would put two runners on, but the Cougars would leave the brothers stranded and send the defense back to the field with Blake Hickey (Chicago, Ill.) on the bump. The Thunder would finally be able to tack their first run of the game on after three consecutive walks loaded the bases, but two outs in the air and strikeout sends the game to the top of the ninth with the Cougars still on top.
- With some defensive changes for the Thunder, the Cougars took advantage and put two runners on with hits from Sperando and Brendan Holloway (Vernon Hills, Ill.). With a fielders choice and an error, Sperando would find his way across home plate and put the final run of the day on the board, sending the Cougars back to the field one last time with the three run advantage.
- Kyle Connelly (New Lenox, Ill.) would take to the mound for the Cougars and retire three batters in order with an out on the ground, a strikeout, and an out in the air.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT'S NEXT
The Cougars head to their home field for the first time this season for the NACC opener as they host Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday, March 21
st. The doubleheader is set to begin at noon with game two starting roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Coverage and updates regarding the first game of the season at The Thunderdome can be found at cucougars.com.
