Plymouth, Wisconsin- The Concordia-Chicago Cougars became Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference champions for a fifth straight year yesterday by virtue of two losses by Concordia Wisconsin. Looking to end the regular season on a high note, the Cougars took to the field today against the Lakeland College Muskies. The Cougars offense was rolling in game one. Big innings in both the fourth and fifth led CUC to a 15-4 game one win. Game two was much tougher for CUC. The Muskies battled them tough into extra innings before the Cougars were able to plate five in the top of the 11th to secure the 10-6 victory. The sweep put the finishing touches on the Cougars magnificent season in the NACC. They close the regular season with a 26-11 overall record and a 18-2 record in NACC play.
In game one, big innings broke the game open. Behind a solid start by Noah Dressler, CUC broke open a 1-1 game with a seven-run top of the fourth. The inning began with back-to-back singles by Brent Spohr and Mitch Wilson. After a Kevin Coppin walk to load the bases, Jacob Frank singled to left scoring one. After an error allowed another run to score, Kevin Garvey lifted a deep fly ball that allowed Coppin to tag and score. From there Brendan Klein singled home another run to push the lead to 5-1. A double steal plated another run following the single. Spohr provided the final run of the inning with a single to left field as CUC brought 11 batters to the plate in the inning.
CUC continued to add on with another crooked number in the fifth. With one out Garvey after reaching on a fielder's choice stole second and third base with Klein at bat. Klein delivered with a single that plated the first run of the inning. Bryan VanDuser and Joe Silva were able to reach following the Klein single to load the bases for Wilson. He then smashed a ball off the center field wall that cleared the bases while pushing the lead to 12-1. A final single by Coppin in the inning scored Wilson.
Lakeland tried to get closer with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but CUC was up to the challenge by answering with two runs of their own when Silva singled to right field bringing home both Klein and VanDuser. Ryan Tishka and Petar Arbov worked in relief to close out the game one 15-4 win.
In game two, the two teams battled into extra innings to close out the 2017 regular season. Lakeland struck first with a run in the bottom of the second. CUC answered quickly though with three runs of their own in the top of the third. Klein reached first with one out on an infield single. An error and a walk then loaded the bases. Following a pitching change Spohr lifted a fly ball deep enough into center field that allowed Klein to tag and score. It was Wilson again that brought home the big runs with a double down the right field line making it 3-1 CUC.
Unfortunately for CUC two two-run homeruns by Travis Regalado propelled the Muskies back into the lead at 5-3 after the fifth. The Cougars were able to re-tie the game with two runs in the top of the seventh. After an error and a walk put the two leadoff runners on. One out later with runners on second and third, Wilson popped up down the first base line deep enough that Garvey tagged and scored on the play. Doug Matthews then tied the game with a roped line drive double to center field which scored Joey Anderson.
The two teams both would strand baserunners over the next few innings. Brian Musielak worked the longest three innings of relief and ended up picking up the win when the Cougars were able to plate five runs in the top of the 11th. With one out CUC ripped off five straight singles that was able to score three runs before the second out was recorded. The Cougars then were able to single home two more runs to push the lead to 10-5. Lakeland picked up a harmless inning but Arbov was able to close out the 10-6 game two victory.
The 2017 NACC Champion Cougars will now prepare for the postseason when they head to Kapco Park on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin. By virtue of being the number one seed, CUC will get a first-round bye in the tournament. They will open play on Thursday night at 7pm against the lowest winning seed from the games played earlier in the day.