AUBURNDALE, Fla. --- After enjoying the off day yesterday, the Concordia University Chicago baseball team took the field on Thursday to begin the final three-day stretch of the Florida swing. The Cougars took to the field against the Ohio Northern Polar Bears. CUC had opportunities offensively all day but were unable to plate the tying run in the ninth, falling to ONU 6-5.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-         Howie Hatton and Elijah Hickman each recorded two hits.
-         Concordia left 12 base runners on base.
-         Michael Kasik got the start and went four innings, allowing just one run and one hit while striking out five.
-         Chris Villafuerte and Mike Tobin each worked a scoreless inning of relief.

The pitchers owned the day through the first couple of innings. Ohio Northern broke through in the bottom of the third. With two outs a walk and a double allowed the first run of the day to score. CUC promptly answered in the top half of the fourth. Brody Mariotti led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. A wild pitch and another walk put Mariotti at second. After an infield fly, an RBI groundout by Christian Jacob tied the game at one.

The score held until the top of the seventh. Back-to-back walks opened the inning for CUC.  Hatton then singled to left field, scoring Caleb Anderson from second. Ohio Northern escaped further trouble in the inning, getting a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

The Polar Bears answered back with an unearned run on a hit in the seventh. ONU then took the lead for good in the eighth. They were able to plate four runs on two hits to take a 6-2 lead.
CUC tried to fight back in the ninth, plating three runs. The Cougars had the tying run at third with just one out, but a strikeout and a groundout spoiled the CUC rally.

The Cougars will be back in action on Friday afternoon when they take on Clarkson University. Opening pitch is set for 3:30 pm (EST) from Auburndale. You can find links to coverage at cucougars.com/coverage.