Box Score HTML Box Score /
PDF Box ScoreCHICAGO – A three-run eighth inning by Northern Colorado was the difference in Chicago State baseball's 9-7 Western Athletic Conference loss on Friday (May 9) evening at Cougar Stadium.
The Cougars jumped out of the gates fast with a run in the first and then a four spot in the second to grab a 5-0 advantage. Junior
Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame)'s double just inside the third base bag scored juniors
Jared Patterson (Ventura, Calif./Buena) and
Robert Swenson (Mason City, Iowa/Mason City) for the final two runs of the inning. Swenson and Patterson also had an RBI in the inning.
Northern Colorado chipped at the deficit with a single run in the third and fourth and then a two-spot in the fifth. The Cougars got a run back though in the fifth on a two-out RBI by
Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech). It stayed 6-4 until the seventh when Northern Colorado tied the game with almost identical solo home runs to center field by Jensen Park and Ben Netzel. It didn't stay tied for long after Russell's bloop single to right field scored junior
Matt Schmidt (Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. However it was the eighth inning that did in the Cougars. Junior pitcher
Dane Mehring (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) was removed with two outs and runners on second and third. Junior
Jerry Silva (Chicago, Ill./Holy Trinity) came in to pitch and with a 1-2 count Park hit a deep fly ball to right field. However Chicago State right field
Jordan Stroschein (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) lost it in the lights. The delay to chase the ball down allowed Park and his two teammates to come around to score and give Bears a 9-7 lead on an inside the park home run. Chicago State threatened in the bottom of the eighth, putting runners on first and third with one out. However an inning ending double play ended the Cougars' best chance to tie the game.
Chicago State starter
Andrew Wellwerts (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) allowed four runs in five innings and picked up a no-decision. Mehring suffered the loss in relief, allowing four runs in 2.2 innings of work. Lucas Corrick (2-4) earned the win for Northern Colorado. Yan Fortin was awarded the save.
Russell and Stroschein each had three hits for the Cougars. Schmidt and Russell each scored a pair of runs. Swenson threw out all four Bears who tried to steal on Friday.
The Cougars fall to 15-33 (3-16 WAC). Northern Colorado is now 8-40 (2-20 WAC). The two clubs will continue their three-game series on Saturday with a 4 p.m. first pitch. Kids will be welcomed on to the field before the game on Saturday to walk the warning track. They can then run the bases following the game.
