Kissimmee, Fla. – Looking to build on their six game winning streak, the seventh ranked Concordia University Chicago Baseball took to the field against the Ramapo College Roadrunners today. The Cougars jumped in front quickly in the first three innings, and the pitching held strong late to down the Roadrunners 8-4.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Jose Mercado and Bryan VanDuser both had three hits on the day. Mercado brought his average back over .500 on the season.
• Brody Mariotti hit his team leading fourth homer of the season with a solo shot to right.
• Cole Carman picked up his first win of the season by working six innings, allowing just one run while striking out six.
• Mike Tobin picked up his first career save, working the final two and third. He did not allow a hit.
• The Cougars team batting average now stands at .322 while the team ERA is down to 2.54.

 
After Carman worked a quick top of the first his offense got things going in the bottom half. Mercado started things with a single to center. A walk put two on for VanDuser. The senior singled through the right side, which scored Mercado and put Keegan Tyrell at third. A double steal brought home a second run of the inning. One out later a single put runners at the corners again. A sac fly off of the bat of Justin Rodriguez brought home the final run of the inning and made it 3-0 CUC.
 
CUC got after it again in the second. A hit by pitch put the leadoff runner on for CUC. Brayden Benavides followed with a ground ruled double down the left field line put two in scoring position with no outs. Two sac flies followed to make it 5-0 Cougars after two.
 
The Cougars added on a single run in the third. Two singles put runners at the corners and a Gianfranco Sorrentino single made it 6-0 CUC. Ramapo got a single run back in the fourth on two hits. Carman escaped trouble by getting a strikeout and a flyout to center.
 
CUC made it a 7-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Mariotti jumped on a first pitch and drove it out to right field for his fourth homer of the season.
 
Ramapo got three back in the seventh. A leadoff triple started the inning as the Roadrunners brought home three runs on four hits in the inning. Tobin was able to limit the damage by inducing a soft lineout to short to end the inning.
 
CUC brought an insurance run across in the eighth. With one out Mercado reached on an infield single. An error put him at third, and Tyrell brought him home with a double down the left field line.
 
Tobin worked a clean ninth to put the finishing touches on the seventh win of the season.
 
The Cougars will close the spring break trip tomorrow against The College of New Jersey. Opening pitch is set for 11:30am (ET).