AUBURNDALE, FLA. – On their final day in the Sunshine State, the Concordia University Chicago baseball team took the field for their earliest game of the season, taking on the nationally ranked University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans. The Cougars pulled off the upset and closed their stretch in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a final record of 3-3, pulling the upset over the 19
th ranked team in the nation.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Richie Sperando (Darien, Ill.) led the offense on the day with one hit and one RBI with a much-needed double.
- The Cougar pitching staff was the all-star with Jack Carroll (North Aurora, Ill.) getting the start and going two innings while picking up two strikeouts. Blake Hickey (Chicago, Ill.), Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.), Josh Prosise (Joliet, Ill.), Kyle Ston (Winfield, Ill.), Kadin Borck (McHenry, Ill.), and Kyle Connelly (New Lenox, Ill.) all came in relief today, combining for two additional strikeouts while only allowing one hit and no runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The start of the game moved quickly with 11 outs in 11 batters brought the game to the bottom of the second after Carroll collected his two strikeouts and the starting pitcher for the Titans collected three strikeouts. In the bottom of the second with two outs, the Titans would pick up two walks to put a runner in scoring position while a two-out single would score their first run of the day.
- The Cougars would continue to struggle at the plate until a single from Ryan Renella (Bartlett, Ill.) would break the dry spell and put one on base. Three strikeouts in the inning for the Titans would leave one stranded.
- With Hickey entering on the mound for the Cougars, three outs from the infield would retire the inning in only five batters. In the top of the fourth, Austin Koberstein (Milwaukee, Wis.) would make his way on base after getting hit by a pitch, but would be stranded on base after three consecutive outs. In the bottom inning with Southard on mound, three outs in four batters would once again send things back to the Cougar offense.
- In the top of the fifth, Sperando led off with a double to put the game tying run in scoring position, but three quick outs would leave him 90 feet from home plate.
- The rest of the game would continue in this same back-and-forth, short inning trend until the top of the ninth where the Cougars sparked up. Koberstein swung at the first pitch he saw and made his way to first before Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would single to left field as well. With two runners on base, the Titans would make a pitching change, but the Cougars would not show any signs of slowing down. A single to left center from Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) would load the bases up for the first time of the day. With one out on the board, Sperando would drive a run in and make his way on base off a Titan error. With bases still loaded and only one out on the board, a fielders choice would allow Jack Linko (New Lenox, Ill.) to drive the go-ahead run in and give the Cougars the lead for the first time of the day.
- In the bottom of the ninth, the Cougars got to work with Connelly still on the mound. Back-to-back outs for the Cougars, courtesy of Sperando and Jerkatis, would put one last batter at the plate where a slow bouncer that was called in fair territory would allow Connelly to collect and touch first himself to secure the out and close the game with the Cougar win.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
The Cougars return to River Forest for a few days before heading back south to play a three-game series at Hardin-Simmons University on Friday and Saturday. Coverage for these games and all things CUC Baseball can be found at cucougars.com.
