March 4, 2018 - Hoping to build momentum from the tail end of last weekend's trip to Sauget, IL, the Concordia-Chicago baseball team headed south for the annual Spring Break trip to the Sunshine State. Today's game was the first of six games this next week, but the usual opening win was not to be this year, as the Cougars squandered some key scoring chances and lost to Heidelberg University of Ohio by a final score of 3-2 at Lake Myrtle Field in Auburndale.

The first three innings were played at a gallop, as both CUC starter Keaton Conner and his counterpart, HU's Cameron Deemer, were in total command of the strike zone. Conner retired nine of the first 10 batters, striking out four, while Deemer also whiffed four while getting four ground balls for outs.

In the fourth, Heidelberg got on the board first After Conner recorded his fifth punch-out to open the frame, Evan Long reached as he stuck out his bat on an outside-corner pitch and guided it to left for a hit. Parker Fronk then singled through the hole between first and second, advancing Long 90 feet. Matt Psychas then blooped a single into the "Bermuda Triangle" in right-center. The throw from the outfield appeared to have a chance to nail the runner, but it short-hopped the catcher as the runner scored and the other two moved up into scoring position. Conner struck out the next batter, but Justin DeWitt laced a two-out, two-run double down the left field line to make it a 3- 0 lead for the Student Princes. 

The Cougars came up for their turn at bat and promptly cut the lead down to one. With one out, Mitch Wilson turned on a Deemer pitch and hit a sharp double to right. Then, with two out, CUC caught a break as Wilson broke for third. The pitcher, who had never thrown the ball, looked to have an easy third out in his pocket but threw the ball in the dirt as Wilson moved up safely. Kevin Coppin then hit a high fly to right, bouncing off the top of the fence but staying in the yard; however, his shot was good for an RBI double. Coppin then scored as Keegan Tyrell bounced a single to center, but the inning ended as Tyrell tried to take the extra base on the throw home and was gunned down.

The final five innings were frustrating as the Cougars were unable to further dent home plate. They wasted a lead-off double by Kevin Garcia in the fifth, a one-out single and stolen base by Tyrell in the seventh and a one-out single by Joe Silva in the eighth. The final bitter pill to swallow came in the ninth. Brady Roberts hit a pea between third and short on the first pitch and was replaced at first by pinch-runner Mateo Calle. Coppin was next, and he was called out on a high chopper in the infield with Calle reaching second. Tyrell then hit a line drive which the second baseman speared and threw to second for the game-ending double play.

Conner (0-1) took the loss despite six solid innings, striking out seven while allowing three runs on six hits. Brian Musielak pitched the final three innings, allowing just a harmless two-out single in the eighth.

The sixth-ranked Cougars (2-2) will look to get back on track Monday as they face #22 St. John Fisher College at Chain of Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. (EST).