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OREM, Utah – Chicago State baseball dropped a Great West Conference baseball doubleheader at Utah Valley on Saturday (April 27) 3-2 and 15-8.
Game One: Utah Valley 3, Chicago State 2 (7 innings)
Utah Valley opened the scoring with two runs in the third with two outs thanks to RBI singles by Kade Andrus and Kai Hatch.
The Cougars put a run on the board in the top of the sixth in the worst way possible. Senior
Joelh Calixto (Chicago, Ill./Guerin) hit a sinking line drive to left center field. Leftfielder Beau Kallas and the centerfielder Andrus both went for it and made contact. The ball popped loose and Calixto motored around the bases for his first home run of the year. Senior
Eric O'Brien (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino) was up next and worked a walk. Two batters later O'Brien stole second and on a high throw by the catcher moved to third. Junior
Dylan Sterrett (Chalmers, Ind./Frontier) proceeded to hit a ball which looked like it may find grass in left center only to see Andrus, who just moved from center to left after staying in the game, make a diving play to end the inning and keep the score 2-1 in favor of Utah Valley.
In the seventh, down to their last strike freshman
Ray Cekus (Chicago, Ill./Taft) singled with two outs. He then moved to second on an infield single by sophomore
Eric Hall (Oakville, ONT/Oakville Trafalgar). Freshman
Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) hit a grounder to the shortstop who tried to go to second for the out. His throw was way high and freshman
Daniel Mazurkiewicz (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech), who pinch ran for Cekus, came around to score to knot up the game.
The game didn't stay tied for long. Back-to-back singles, a sacrifice bunt and then a walk-off single by Riley White gave Utah Valley the 3-2 victory in the seventh.
Chicago State starter
Andrew Wellwerts (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) took the loss with 6.1 innings of work. He struck out five and gave up eight hits and three runs. His record is now 2-7. Jeff Barto, who blew the save in the seventh, picked up the win. He is now 2-0.
“Andy pitched really well,” Chicago State head coach
Steve Joslyn said. “Just a few two-strike pitches ended up being the difference. But I liked our effort. We didn't give up, showed good fight and kept battling.”
Game Two: Utah Valley 15, Chicago State 8
The Cougars found themselves down 9-0 before clawing back in it with a seven spot in the top of the fourth. It was a hit parade with the first five Cougars reaching base with a single. A strikeout, walk and two more singles followed to make it a 9-6 game. Senior
Eric O'Brien (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to pick up an RBI and make the score 9-7. The frame ended on a double play. Sophomore
Aveeno Nasiloski (Hammond, Ind./Gavit), freshman
Daniel Mazurkiewicz (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) and freshman
Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) each had RBI singles in the frame. Sophomore
Eric Hall (Oakville, ONT/Oakville Trafalgar) picked up two RBI on a single that scored freshman
William Munoz (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) and junior
Dylan Sterrett (Chalmers, Ind./Frontier).
The Wolverines extended their lead again with three in the fifth and two more in the sixth.
Starter senior
James Tucker (Gary, Ind./Calumet) (2-4) was given the loss after 2.1 innings of work. Freshman
Jerry Silva (Chicago, Ill./Holy Trinity) pitched the final 5.2 innings, giving up seven runs, but only three earned.
Justin Campbell (1-0) earned the win for Utah Valley after allowing one run in 4.2 innings.
Calixto finished game two with four singles and a run scored. Sterrett singled twice and scored once. Cekus singled twice. The Cougars out-hit the Wolverines 14-13 in game two but was hurt by four errors, causing five unearned runs.
Utah Valley improves to 17-21 (8-3 GWC). The Cougars fall to 6-29 (3-12 GWC). The two clubs close out the four-game series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. MT start.
