Cougars Split Non-Conference Doubleheader At Milwaukee (L 7-5, W 9-6)

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One HTML Box Score / Game One PDF Box Score
Game Two HTML Box Score / Game Two PDF Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Chicago State baseball earned a split in a non-conference doubleheader at Milwaukee on Tuesday (May 6) afternoon at Henry Aaron Field. The Cougars surrendered leads in the sixth innings of both seven-inning games but rallied back in game two for the win.

Game One - Milwaukee 7, Chicago State 5
Despite earning 13 walks in game one, nearly an average of two an inning, the Cougars couldn't come up with enough timely hits to earn the win in game one. Juniors Chase Matheson (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) and Robert Swenson (Mason City, Iowa/Mason City) each walked three times.

The Cougars used a two-run fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead over the Panthers. Juniors Matt Schmidt (Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) and Evan Davis (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) each knocked in a run in the fifth. It was a 5-4 game in the sixth when the Panthers used four singles and a CSU error to take a 7-5 lead. A four-pitch walk by sophomore Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) was all the Cougars could manage in the seventh.

Tyler Thicke (4-5) picked up the win for Milwaukee. Junior Jerry Silva (Chicago, Ill./Holy Trinity) saw his record drop to 2-2 after earning the loss in relief. However by making his 29th appearance of the season, Silva set a new single-season school record for pitching appearances. Tell Taylor earned his third save of the season for the Panthers.

Chicago State has now walked 10 or more times in a game twice this season. The Cougars earned 12 bases on balls against Utah Valley on April 6, but that was a nine inning game.

Game Two - Chicago State 9, Milwaukee 6
The Cougars walked five more times in game two, however also added 13 hits to their offensive effort. Juniors Jared Patterson (Ventura, Calif./Buena) and Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame) each had three hits and two RBI. Patterson scored twice, as did Schmidt and senior Nathan Poff (Sellersburg, Ind./New Albany).

The visiting Cougars were well in control of the game until things came unraveled in the sixth. The frame started innocently enough with the leadoff batter Ryan Solberg lining out to right field. Then back-to-back errors, a single, a hit by pitcher, a single, a sacrifice fly, another error and a walk followed. By this time it was a 5-4 game with Solberg at the plate. He then singled to score a pair of Panthers and give Milwaukee a 6-5 lead. All six runs were unearned.

This game wasn't over yet. Schimdt opened the seventh with a walk. Russell followed with a strikeout but then four consecutive Cougars recorded hits. Poff singled to left to score Schmidt with the tying run. Patterson, Romanin and Matheson each followed with an RBI to make the score 9-6.

Junior Nick Kostalek (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) started on the mound for the Cougars went went all seven innings. He is now 3-2. The only runs he allowed were the six unearned tallies in the three-error sixth inning. Justin Jaquish came in with one out in the seventh inning and earned the loss for Milwaukee. He is now 2-2.

"Game two was a great comeback win and should give us some confidence going forward," Chicago State head coach Steve Joslyn said. "We got some good hitting and then Nick (Kostalek) was great."

Chicago State's win over Milwaukee is just the Panthers' third loss in their last 28 home games.

Milwaukee is now 17-22. Chicago State is 15-32. The Cougars return to Western Athletic Conference play on Friday with a visit by Northern Colorado. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. in the first of a three-game series.