Northern Colorado Uses Early Lead To Top CSU 8-4

Box Score Note: The start of Sunday's game has been pushed up an hour to noon CT.

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CHICAGO – Chicago State baseball dropped a Western Athletic Conference game to Northern Colorado on Saturday (May 10) 8-4 at Cougar Stadium.

Northern Colorado scored two runs in the first and three in the third to grab a quick 5-0 advantage. Meanwhile Bears' starter Chris Hammer kept the Cougars offense at bay by not giving up a hit until the sixth inning when junior Chase Matheson (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) singled through the left side and junior Jordan Stroschein (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) picked up an infield single. Despite a zero in the hit column for the first five innings, the Cougars still had chances after Hammer walked four Cougars and hit two on the day. The Cougars finished the contest with 11 left on base.

Northern Colorado eventually opened an 8-0 advantage before the Cougars scored an unearned run in the seventh. Junior Matt Schmidt (Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) then knocked home Matheson in the eighth. The Cougars' final two runs came in the ninth. Stroschein singled up the middle with two outs to score junior Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame) and sophomore Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech).

Starter Ean McNeal (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) earned the loss for the Cougars after allowing eight runs (seven earned) through 6.1 innings. He is now 3-5. The Cougars' pen didn't give up a single tally. Junior Aveeno Nasiloski (Hammond, Ind./Gavit) pitched a 0.2 innings scoreless while juniors Tyler Abbott (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) and Joe Ross (Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs) each fired scoreless frames.

Hammer improved his record to 3-9 with the win. He allowed just one unearned run in 6.2 innings.

Stroschein recorded three hits in addition to his two RBI. Junior Robert Swenson (Mason City, Iowa/Mason City) threw out three more Bears trying to steal on the base paths. He has tossed out all seven that have tried to run in the last two games.

Chicago State falls to 15-34 (3-17 WAC). Northern Colorado improves to 9-40 (3-20 WAC). The Cougars host Northern Colorado on Sunday (May 11). It will be Senior Day for Chicago State. The game will start an hour earlier due to expected rain in the afternoon. First pitch will now be at noon.