ST. LOUIS – Chicago State baseball suffered a doubleheader sweep to host Saint Louis by scores of 9-6 and 14-4 today at the Billiken Sports Center. The Billikens improve to 7-4 on the year, while the Cougars saw their season record drop to 0-12.
SLU started the first game with a 1-0 advantage in the first inning after Danny Brock drove home senior Ryan Bennett, who hit a leadoff double, with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The visitors evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the third following an RBI fielder's choice by senior Kellon McFarlin (Chicago, IL/Meramec CC) (Chicago, Ill.) that scored redshirt freshman Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.). The Billikens recorded four runs in the bottom half of the third to claim a 5-1 lead, highlighted by Brock's two-run homer.
CSU bounced back with four runs of its own to knot the score once again at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning which included an RBI double by freshman William Hill (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) (Wheaton, Ill.) and a run-scoring single from Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark). Freshman Jerry Mancuso ripped a two-run double down the left field line, scoring Brock and junior Ben Braaten as part of a three-run SLU rally in the bottom of the sixth to regain a 8-5 lead.
The Cougars closed within 8-6 in the top of the eighth when junior Austin McDowell (Coal City, IL/Olney Central College) (Coal City, Ill.) connected on an RBI single to score freshman Jonathan Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.), who singled and stole second to start the inning. Mancuso hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to conclude the scoring for the Billikens.
Brock led SLU by going 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, while Mancuso went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Senior Dave Sever (2-1) claimed the win for the Billikens, allowing five unearned runs while recording nine strikeouts and two walks in six innings thrown.
McDowell went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Hill went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Chicago State's offense. Freshman Kasey Lewandowski (Milwaukee, WI/Rufus King HS) (Milwaukee, Wis.) fell to 0-1 after the loss for the Cougars by allowing two runs on one hit with a walk.
In the second contest of the day, the Cougars broke a scoreless tie in the top of the second with four runs to gain a 4-0 lead. Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) started the rally with an RBI single that scored senior Matt Haug (Plymouth, IN/Ancilla CC) (Plymouth, Ind.), who led off the inning with a single. Senior Patrick Hernandez (Romeoville, IL/Triton CC) (Romeoville, Ill.) scored on a wild pitch, while Hill posted an RBI sacrifice fly and McDowell recorded an RBI single to account for the other two CSU runs.
The Billikens sliced their deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the second which included an RBI single by Mancuso that plated sophomore Cody Cotter, who reached base with a walk. Braaten led off the inning with a single and later scored on a CSU error, while freshman Connor Gandossy earned a walk and later crossed home plate on a wild pitch.
SLU added three more runs in the fourth inning to gain a 6-4 lead that was highlighted by a two-RBI single through the left side by Gandossy and scored three runs in the fifth inning which included a two-run homer from freshman Lucas Calderon to increase the lead to 9-4.
Three additional runs crossed the plate for the Billikens in the sixth inning on a three-run home run by freshman Zach Miller. The home team later score two more runs in the eighth inning which included an RBI single by junior Andrew Guerra to provide the final margin.
Miller and Gandossy each went 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead SLU, which also received two hits from three other players. Freshman Jim Foster (1-0) captured his first collegiate win despite giving up four runs on eight hits in addition to walking three and striking out two in six innings of work.
Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI for CSU. Junior Scott Balcer (Palatine, IL/Harper College) (Palatine, Ill.) dropped to 0-4 on the year after allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits with eight walks in five innings thrown.
Both teams will conclude the series Sunday afternoon with a start time of 12 Noon.
~CSU~
