Cougars Split DH With SDSU After Winning Game One in 14 Innings

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One PDF Box Score / Game Two PDF Box Score
 
CHICAGO – Chicago State and South Dakota State played 23 innings of baseball on Friday (March 21) with six total runs scored. The Cougars won the opening contest 2-1 in 14 innings and dropped the nightcap 2-1 to the Jackrabbits.
 
Game One – Chicago State 2, South Dakota State 1 (14 innings)
The opener was a pitchers' dual from the start with SDSU starter Adam Bray and CSU starter Ean McNeal (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) each finding success on the mound. The Cougars scored a single run in the sixth on an RBI single by junior Evan Davis (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) to knock in sophomore Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech). It looked like the single run was going to hold up after the first two hitters of SDSU's ninth inning were sent down on three pitches. However Jake Ratz worked a two-out walk to keep the Jackrabbits alive. Al Robbins took advantage with an RBI triple to left center field to tie the game at one. It could have been worse as on the next pitch SDSU's Aaron Machbitz lined a ball to the left of CSU third baseman Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame). The junior Romanin made a diving stab, jumped to his feet, and threw out Machbitz at first.
 
McNeal came out for the 10^th and found some trouble with SDSU loading the bases. However back-to-back ground balls got the Cougars and McNeal out of the frame. Junior Aveeno Nasiloski (Hammond, Ind./Gavit) threw the 11^th and 12^th innings.
 
The Cougars loaded the bases with no outs in the 12^th but a strikeout and a back-to-back fielder's choices continued the game. In the top of the 13^th, SDSU threatened again. Machbitz singled to left with one out and Zach Holt on second. SDSU's sent Holt on the play but a laser of a throw by Evan Davis (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) stopped Holt in his tracks at the plate. A SDSU walk loaded the bases and in entered junior Jerry Silva (Chicago, Ill./Holy Trinity). The Chicago native struck out Cody Sharrow to leave the sacks packed.
 
Finally in the 14^th the Cougars' found some timely hitting. Junior Matt Schmidt (Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) walked to leadoff the frame. He was sacrificed over to second to bring up freshman Sanford Hunt (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood) who blooped a single to right field for the game winning hit.
 
McNeal earned a no-decision after allowing just one run on eight hits and five strikeouts over 10.0 innings. Silva picked up the win, his second of the season. Bray threw 9.0 innings for SDSU, allowing seven hits and one run for a no-decision. Tyler Shannon (0-1) was handed the loss for SDSU.
 
Game Two – South Dakota State 2, Chicago State 1
The second contest of the day was another nail bitter. SDSU was on the board first with a run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Zach Coppola. CSU tied it up in the third when Russell came around form third on a SDSU throwing error.
 
Chicago State's best chance to score again came in the sixth. A Davis single, a Romanin walk and then a botched SDSU double play attempt put junior Chase Matheson (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) on base with no outs. However the Cougars would fail to push a run across the plate. Two fielder's choices with outs at the plate and then a pop up left the bases loaded.
 
SDSU took advantage in the eighth. A two-out RBI single by Coppola put the Jackrabbits up 2-1. Chicago State did threaten in the ninth. Hunt singled with one out and stole second. He went to third on a ground out but Russell struck out with the bases loaded to end the game. 
 
Chad Hodges went 7.0 innings for SDSU, allowing just one unearned run to pickup the win. He is now 3-2. J.D. Moore earned the final out of the game to get his third save of the year. CSU starter Andrew Wellwerts (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) allowed just two runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts in 8.0 innings. He was given the loss and is now 1-4.
 
The Cougars are now 9-9. South Dakota State is 10-11. The two clubs will play on Saturday (March 22) at Cougar Stadium in the third and final game of the series.