GREELEY, Colo. – Chicago State baseball continued its final Great West Conference series of the season here today against host Northern Colorado at Jackson Field, but dropped both games of a doubleheader by scores of 21-2 in the first game and 11-8 in the second contest. The Bears hiked their season record to 31-22 (21-6) with the sweep, while the Cougars saw their record drop to 4-48 (2-25).
The home team started the first game in the first inning after senior Tyler Borzileri drew a leadoff walk and later scored when freshman Tyler Wallace drew an RBI walk to take an early 1-0 advantage. UNC added eight more runs in the second inning that included a grand slam by senior Mike Raudenbush and a two-RBI double from sophomore Jarod Berggren to hike its leading margin to 9-0.
In the third inning, CSU got on the board courtesy of a two-run triple from junior Billy Les (Oak Lawn, IL/South Suburban College) (Oak Lawn, Ill.) that plated senior Kellon McFarlin (Chicago, IL/Meramec CC) (Chicago, Ill.) and freshman Christian Prince (Hudsonville, MI/Hudsonville) (Hudsonville, Mich.), who reached base on singles, to slice its deficit to 9-2.
The Bears produced a 10-run rally in the fourth inning, highlighted by three-run homers from Borzileri and sophomore Tony Crudo, as their lead grew to 19-2. The scoring ended for UNC in the sixth inning with a solo homer from freshman Shay Maltese and an RBI double by junior TJ Berge for the final margin.
Prince and senior Patrick Hernandez (Romeoville, IL/Triton CC) (Romeoville, Ill.) each hit 2-for-4 to lead Chicago State's offense. Redshirt sophomore Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.) fell to 0-7 on the year after giving up nine runs on six hits in one and two-thirds innings of work.
Berggren hit for the cycle and went 5-for-6 at the plate with four RBI and scored three runs to lead Northern Colorado. Crudo hit a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and scored three runs of his own. Sophomore Joe Willman (6-5) struck out four CSU batters and allowed two runs on nine hits in five innings thrown to earn the win for the Bears.
Berge started the second game with a two-run homer as UNC took a 2-0 lead after the first inning. CSU closed within 2-1 in the fourth inning after Carpen lined an RBI single up the middle that brought home Les from second after he reached on double.
Four more runs crossed the plate for the Bears in the fifth inning which included a three-run homer from Berge to left center that hiked their advantage to 6-1, but the visitors closed within 6-2 when senior Austin McDowell (Coal City, IL/Olney Central College) (Coal City, Ill.) scored on Les' RBI groundout after leading off the frame with a triple to left center.
CSU came back in the top of the seventh with five runs to capture a 7-6 lead that included a two-RBI triple by McFarlin to center field, but UNC scored five runs in the bottom half of the seventh in which junior Kyle Hardman hit a two-run home and Berggren blasted a two-run triple to highlight the rally en route to recapturing the lead at 11-7.
In the eighth inning, sophomore William Hill (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) (Wheaton, Ill.) hit a one-out single and later stole third before scoring on a throwing error that pulled the visitors within three at 11-8, but the Bears would hold on for the win.
Carpen hit a perfect 5-for-5 with two RBI to lead CSU's offense which generated 16 hits in the game, while Prince, senior Kevin Hussey (Pickering, ON/Olney Central College) (Pickerington, Ont.) and junior Miguel Camacho (Chicago, IL/Oakton CC) (Chicago, Ill.) each added two hits. Freshman Dayton Dalman (Nashville, IL/Nashville) (Nashville, Ill.) took the loss (0-8) for the Cougars after allowing 11 runs on 13 hits in six and one-third innings of work, but posted four strikeouts.
UNC was led by Berge's 3-for-5 effort with five RBI and two home runs in the game. Sophomore Cameron Tallman (1-1) captured the win after allowing just one run (none earned) on two hits and struck out two in one and one-third innings in relief. Freshman Tyler Wallace only allowed two hits in the ninth inning but held on to record the save for the Bears.
Both teams will close out the series tomorrow afternoon from Jackson Field with the first pitch set for 12 noon, Mountain Time.
~CSU~
