Cougars Earn First WAC Win 10-2 Over North Dakota

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CHICAGO – Chicago State starting pitcher junior Andrew Wellwerts (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) allowed just two runs in 8.0 innings to help the Cougars to a 10-2 victory over North Dakota at Cougar Stadium on Friday (April 18). The win is Chicago State's first Western Athletic Conference win in program history.
 
Wellwerts finished with a line of nine hits and two walks while sending six down on strikes. He is now 2-6 on the year.
 
"Andy's performance is exactly what we needed from him," Chicago State head coach Steve Joslyn said. "A Friday effort like that goes a long way and he showed what he is capable of by competing all night in the strike zone. To get an outing like that and not have to use the pen is huge to start a series."
 
The Cougars turned a 1-1 game into a 7-1 lead with a six spot in the sixth inning. 12 Cougars batted in the inning. CSU recorded four hits, two walks and a hit by pitch. They also benefited from a North Dakota error in the inning. No at-bat resulted in more than one run scoring on a play but quality at-bat after quality at-bat earned RBI for juniors Robert Swenson (Mason City, Iowa/Mason City), Evan Davis (Sterling, Ill./Sterling), Jared Patterson (Ventura, Calif./Buena), Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame), Chase Matheson (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) and Jordan Stroschein (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar).
 
Chicago State added a solo run in the seven and two in the eighth to make the final 10-2 following one North Dakota run in the eighth. Freshman Sanford Hunt (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood) finished with three hits, two runs scored and two RBI. He had triple, double and a single in the contest. Russell recorded three hits and two runs scored.  
 
"Julian and Sanford both had great nights at the plate," Joslyn said. "Then we had three tremendous defensive plays with Matt at first, Jared in center and Jordan in right field. For the most part we were solid defensively tonight."
 
Andrew Thome started for North Dakota and suffered the loss. He is now 1-4 on the year after allowing four runs (three earned) in 5.0 innings.
 
The Cougars move to 11-23 (1-9 WAC). North Dakota falls to 6-17 (6-4 WAC). Chicago State and North Dakota play again on Saturday with a 4 p.m. first pitch at Cougar Stadium.