EDINBURG, Texas – The Chicago State baseball team continued Great West Tournament pool play here earlier today with an 11-6 defeat to Houston Baptist at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium. The Huskies improved to 28-30 on the year, while the Cougars saw their record fall to 4-51.
CSU opened the scoring in the first inning to claim a 2-0 lead that began when senior Patrick Hernandez (Romeoville, IL/Triton CC) (Romeoville, Ill.) scored fellow classmate Kellon McFarlin (Chicago, IL/Meramec CC) (Chicago, Ill.) from third with an RBI sacrifice fly to right center. On the next play, junior Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.), who reached base on an error, scored from second on senior Austin McDowell (Coal City, IL/Olney Central College)'s (Coal City, Ill.) RBI fielder's choice.
The Huskies responded in the second inning with a two-run double from Derek Smith off CSU starter Gregory Day (East Chicago, IN/East Chicago Central) (East Chicago, Ind.) which plated Chase Hernandez and Kolby Arnst to even the score at 2-2.
HBU added three runs in the fourth inning to gain its first lead of the game at 5-2 that was highlighted by a two-RBI single to left field by Paul Prestera and an RBI single from Jake Gonzalez.
In the top of the sixth, Jonathan Moore and Arnst each recorded RBI singles which helped the Huskies hike their leading margin to 7-2, but the Cougars scored twice in the bottom half of the sixth to slice their deficit to 7-4. Redshirt sophomore Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.) hit an RBI single to right field that scored Hernandez, who doubled to open the stanza, from third. Senior Kevin Hussey (Pickering, ON/Olney Central College) (Pickerington, Ont.) later brought home junior Miguel Camacho (Chicago, IL/Oakton CC) (Chicago, Ill.) via an RBI sacrifice fly to center field.
The Cougars added a pair of runs in the seventh inning to close within a single run at 7-6 that started with freshman Christian Prince (Hudsonville, MI/Hudsonville) (Hudsonville, Mich.) posted an RBI sacrifice fly to center field that scored sophomore William Hill (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) (Wheaton, Ill.), who led off the inning with a single. Hernandez brought home Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) with an RBI single up the middle on the next play.
A two-run home run by Robbie Buller to left center increased HBU's advantage to 9-6 following the eighth inning, while adding the final two runs in the ninth inning with an RBI single from Zikeli and Moore's RBI double for the final margin.
Hernandez finished the game hitting 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to lead Chicago State, while Hill went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Day (0-6) took the loss for CSU and recorded three strikeouts in four innings of work despite allowing five runs on eight hits. Freshman Dayton Dalman (Nashville, IL/Nashville) (Nashville, Ill.) also recorded three strikeouts and walked one in four and one-third innings of relief
Prestera, Moore and Arnst all recorded three hits for Houston Baptist, while Prestera and Moore each drove in three runs. Michael Schulle (4-6) captured the win for the Huskies despite allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in five and one-third innings thrown, and Stephen Nikonchik recorded his third save of the year by striking out three batters in two and one-third innings in relief.
The Cougars close out pool play tomorrow morning when they face North Dakota with the first pitch set for 9 a.m.
~CSU~
