CHICAGO – The Chicago State baseball team kicked off its week-long spring break trip Tuesday night with a 12-5 loss to Southern Utah at the Palm Beach Challenge in Palm Beach, Fla. The Thunderbirds hiked their season record to 2-10 while the Cougars fell to 0-5 on the year.
Southern Utah posted an early 3-0 advantage in the first inning that was highlighted by a two-run home run from senior Matt Sanford to left field off CSU starting pitcher James Tucker (Gary, IN/Calumet) (Gary, Ind.).
CSU got on the board in the top of the third when senior Patrick Hernandez (Romeoville, IL/Triton CC) (Romeoville, Ill.) drew an RBI walk which brought home senior Kevin Hussey (Pickering, ON/Olney Central College) (Pickering, Ont.), who opened the inning with a single to center field, to slice its deficit to 3-1. The Thunderbirds increased their lead to 5-1 in the bottom half of the third behind an RBI single from sophomore Marcus Romero and a run-scoring fielder's choice by freshman D.J. Andrade.
In the fifth inning, senior Austin McDowell (Coal City, IL/Olney Central College) (Coal City, Ill.) reached base on an error, stole second and advance to third on junior Billy Les (Oak Lawn, IL/South Suburban College)' (Oak Lawn, Ill.) single to right field before scoring on a wild pitch to pull the Cougars within three runs at 5-2. Sanford recorded an RBI triple and Romero posted run-scoring single as part of a two-run sixth inning for SUU as it increased its lead to 7-2.
The Green and White scored three runs in the top of the seventh to close within 7-5 before the Thunderbirds tallied five runs in the bottom half of the inning for the final margin.
Hussey finished the game hitting 1-of-3 and scored two runs for Chicago State. Tucker (0-2) took the loss after he allowed five runs on nine hits in addition in three innings pitched to go along with four strikeouts and a walk.
Sanford went 3-of-5 at the plate and drove in four runs to lead Southern Utah, while Romero and redshirt freshman Brock Westphal each hit 3-of-5 and combined to drive in three runs. Senior David Randall (1-1) captured the win on the mound despite giving up five runs (four earned) on four hits while striking out four batters in seven innings thrown.
The Cougars and the Thunderbirds will battle again this afternoon at 3 p.m. in the second game of the Palm Beach Challenge.
~CSU~
