CHICAGO – Chicago State baseball closed its home slate today at Olive-Harvey College with an 8-1 Great West Conference loss to Texas-Pan American in the series finale for both teams. The Broncs improved to 18-30 (7-16) with the win, while the Cougars dropped to 4-45 (2-22) on the year.
The visitors got on the board in the first inning when senior Ryan Vest brought home junior Stuart MacInnes, who reached base on a one-out triple, from third base with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field for an early 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third, the Broncs added a pair of runs on RBI singles from senior Abraham Garcia and Vest to increase their leading margin to 3-0. Sophomore William Hill (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) (Wheaton, Ill.) kicked off the bottom half of third with a one-out single and later scored on an RBI sacrifice fly from senior Austin McDowell (Coal City, IL/Olney Central College) (Coal City, Ill.) to right field that sliced CSU's deficit to 3-1.
MacInnes and sophomore Mike McCarthy recorded RBI singles in the fifth inning as part of a three-run rally by UTPA as it increased its lead to 6-1, while Garcia led off the sixth with a single and scored three plays later on a CSU error as the visitors' leading margin grew to 7-1.
The Broncs closed the scoring in the seventh inning when McCarthy, who reached base on a single, scored on freshman Angel Ibanez' RBI sacrifice fly to center field.
Hill went 1-for-1 and scored a run to lead Chicago State, while seniors Patrick Hernandez (Romeoville, IL/Triton CC) (Romeoville, Ill.) and Kellon McFarlin (Chicago, IL/Meramec CC) (Chicago, Ill.) each recorded a hit. Redshirt sophomore Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.) fell to 0-6 on the year after taking the loss despite throwing a complete game, but he allowed eight runs (five earned) on 16 hits. Carpen also posted a career-best seven strikeouts and walked three.
Texas-Pan American received 3-for-5 efforts at the plate from MacInnes and Garcia with both players scoring twice. McCarthy also went 3-for-5 on the day and Vest drove in a pair of runs. Junior Luis Flores (3-1) earned the win after posting four strikeouts and allowing one run on three hits in eight innings of work.
CSU travels to Greeley, Colo., this week to compete in its final Great West Conference series of the season against Northern Colorado. The first game is set for this Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m., local time.
~CSU~
