By Steve Marovich, Athletics Staff Writer/2022 Baseball Contact

The Carthage College baseball team (8-20) outlasted non-conference opponent Concordia University (Wis., 11-15), 11-10, on Tuesday, April 19 at Augie Schmidt Field in Kenosha, Wis.

Tristan Largent's two-out, two-run double in the opening inning gave Concordia an early 2-0 lead.  The Firebirds scored a run in the bottom half on a wild pitch, but Cole Aguirre singled in a run in the second to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead.  Sam Beers connected on a three-run home run in the fourth to give Concordia a 6-1 margin.  A sacrifice fly by Carthage's Jax Calverley in the fourth cut the lead to 6-2.  Concordia added two more runs in the fifth to up its lead to 8-2.

P.J. Moser hit a grand slam for the Firebirds in the fifth, and the score was 8-6.  Cody Tostrud hit a two-run homer in the sixth to tie the game, 8-8.

Carthage took its first lead of the game in the seventh inning when Matt Pratscher scored on a wild pitch, followed by an RBI-single by Evan Devine.  The Falcons, however, came right back with a pair of runs in the eighth on Drew Johnson's RBI-double and an RBI-single by Kyle Kosbucki to tie the game, 10-10.

The Firebirds won the game in the bottom of the ninth.  Pinch-hitter Iyan Pelfree walked and went to second on an infield grounder but was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Collin Callahan single, with Callahan taking second on the throw.  Cody Tostrud was intentionally walked, and Matt Felber doubled in Callahan with the game-winning run.

Carthage collected 14 hits, with P.J. Moser going two-for-five with four RBI.  It was a bullpen game for both head coaches.  Carthage coach Augie Schmidt IV used seven pitchers, with Brandon Marquardt (1-0) working a clean ninth inning to pick up the win.  Blake Breon (0-1), the sixth-of-six Falcon hurlers took the loss.

Carthage (8-20, 2-8 CCIW) opens a three-game series with College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin-opponent Elmhurst University (9-15, 2-7) on Saturday, April 23 with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Augie Schmidt Field in Kenosha, Wis.