LISLE, Ill. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team received an outstanding performance from its bullpen as well as some well-timed defensive plays to secure a sweep over Benedictine Sunday afternoon. The Falcons, who have won seven straight games, received 7.1 shutout innings from the pen and a highlight-reel game-saving catch from Nathan Thyssen in game two to stay in second place in the NACC standings.
THE BASICS
- Final Scores: CUW 8, Benedictine 2; CUW 7, Benedictine 5
- Location: The Sports Complex – Lisle, Illinois
- Records: CUW 20-8, 11-3 NACC; Benedictine 19-13, 10-6 NACC
THYSSEN'S GAME-SAVING CATCH
Thyssen made this grab with the Falcons leading by one and a runner on first in the bottom of the eighth in game two.
CUW 8, BENEDICTINE 2 (GAME ONE)
- The Falcons fell behind early in each game, including giving up two runs in the opener. CUW would quickly respond with three in the second, before adding two in the fifth and three more in the seventh for the 8-2 win.
- Mike Magdziarz (Frankfort, Ill.) settled in nicely after the two-run first and gave the Falcons 5.2 strong innings, picking up his second win of the season. He struck out two and walked a pair before three Falcons relievers got the final 13 outs for CUW. Nick Hirst (Davenport, Iowa) threw 1.2 innings, while Brett Kolacki (Midlothian, Ill.) picked up two outs in the eighth. Scott Plachinski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) then finished the game off with a perfect ninth inning.
- At the plate, CUW was led by a trio of players who tallied two hits and drove in two runs each. Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.), Kyle Hilliard (Oak Forest, Ill.), and Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.) paced the Falcons, with Schubert's two hits being doubles. Hilliard added a RBI double in the seventh.
- Tanner Kiser of Benedictine hit a two-run home run in the first inning, giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead. After two hits in the first inning, Benedictine was held to just three hits the rest of the game.
CUW 7, BENEDICTINE 5 (GAME TWO)
- The play of the game in the second contest came in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Falcons leading 6-5. Benedictine had a runner on first and nobody out when Kiser sent a shot to left field. Thyssen took away what would have been a go-ahead home run, keeping CUW in front by a run. The Falcons also doubled off the runner after an appeal ruled he missed second base while retrieving to first.
- The bullpen once again impressed in game two as four pitchers combined to record three scoreless frames. Seth Cox (Gilbert, Ariz.) threw a scoreless seventh while Kolacki and Niko Kutsulis (Homer Glen, Ill.) combined for the three outs in the eighth. Plachinski again shut the door in the ninth, picking up his sixth save of the season.
- Schubert got the win for the Falcons, throwing the first six frames. He struck out three and allowed five runs in his fourth win of the season. At the plate he was one of four Falcons to double, joined by Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.), Thyssen, and Spencer Garnett (Clarendon Hills, Ill.).
- Matt Luft (Oshkosh, Wis.), Thomas, Thyssen, and Garnett all paced the Falcons with two hits in game two. Kiser and Jack Feeley each collected two hits for the Eagles.
UP NEXT
- CUW will host Maranatha in a home game tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Kapco Park.