OREM, Utah – The Chicago State baseball team battled hard in a Great West Conference doubleheader here this evening against league-leading Utah Valley at Brent Brown Ballpark. The Wolverines (14-18, 6-1) captured the first game with a 9-8 comeback win, but the Cougars (5-26, 1-7) took the second game by a close score of 6-5.
The first game started on a good note for the Green and White as it claimed a 1-0 lead when junior Tony Sanchez (Plainfield, IL/Heartland CC) (Plainfield, Ill.) lined a two-out RBI double off UVU starter Zane Gray to center field to score junior Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.). Six more runs crossed the plate for CSU in the second inning, highlighted by a three-run, bases-clearing double from Sanchez
Utah Valley would produce a six-run rally in the third inning to slice its deficit to 7-6 that included junior Goose Kallunki hitting a three-run homer off CSU starting pitcher Dylan Sterrett (Chalmers, Ind./Frontier) (Chalmers, Ind.) to left field.
The Wolverines posted two additional runs in the fourth inning on a two-RBI single from sophomore Kirk Doxey that landed in center field to take an 8-7 lead. Kallunki struck again in the fifth inning as he lined an RBI single through the left side that plated Chris Benson to hike their leading margin to 9-7.
In the seventh inning, junior William Hill (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) (Wheaton, Ill.) hit an RBI single that scored senior Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.), who led off with a single, for the final margin.
Sanchez finished the game hitting 2-of-4 with four RBI, Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) also went 2-of-4 with two runs scored and junior Shane McGarahan (Northwood, Ohio) also went 2-of-3 at the plate. Freshman Derek Borst (Lansing, IL/T.F. South) (Lansing, Ill.) took the loss and fell to 0-4 on the year after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits in two relief innings.
Sophomore Kai Hatch paced Utah Valley with a 4-of-4 outing and scored twice. Junior Preston Olson (3-0) posted the win by giving up a run on five hits in five and two-thirds innings of relief. Olson struck out three batters and walked one.
UVU opened the second game with an early 1-0 advantage when Hatch lined a run-scoring single and brought home Austin Heaps from second after he connected on a one-out double to reach base.
The fourth inning saw CSU come back with four runs to capture its first lead of the game at 4-1 which included a three-run home run from junior Jack Bobillo (Michigan City, IN/Kalamazoo Valley CC) (Michigan City, Ind.) and an RBI single from junior Weston Lewis (Denver, CO/Colby CC) (Denver, Colo.). The Cougars added a run in the fifth inning when Sanchez hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center field that plated Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) from third base to increase their lead to 5-1.
Hatch recorded a RBI single and Kallunki notched an RBI sacrifice fly to help the home team cut CSU's advantage to 5-3 in the sixth inning, but Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark)'s RBI single in the eighth inning which scored brother Albert increased the Cougars' lead to 6-3.
The Wolverines added a pair of runs in the ninth inning thanks to an RBI triple from Doxey and a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Austin Haws to pull with a run at 6-5, but CSU starting pitcher Gregory Day (East Chicago, IN/East Chicago Central) (East Chicago, Ind.) forced the final out to seal the win.
Lewis and Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) each recorded three hits to lead Chicago State, while Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) and senior Miguel Camacho (Chicago, IL/Oakton CC) (Chicago, Ill.) each added two hits. Day (2-3) earned the complete-game win by striking out four UVU batters despite allowing five runs on nine hits. He forced 14 fly outs and six groundouts on a career-best 143 pitches thrown.
Hatch and junior Austin Heaps each went 3-of-4 to lead Utah Valley. Sophomore Blake Krahenbuhl (3-2) gave up five runs (one earned) on eight hits in addition to posting four strikeouts in taking the loss for the Wolverines.
The Cougars and the Wolverines close their series tomorrow afternoon with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.
~CSU~
