Baseball 2/27/2016 1:19:00 AM Corey Miggins, Sports Information Director

Cougars Earn Split on First Day of Snowbird Classic

Sophomore Cody Freund recorded a pair of hits in Friday's win over Villanova

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Chicago State baseball earned a split on its first day of the annual Snowbird Classic after defeating Villanova by a score of 4-3 before dropping a 5-3 decision to NCAA Division III Otterbein in the nightcap.

The game started with four scoreless innings in a pitcher's duel between CSU's Jake Perkins (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) and VU hurler Hunter Schryver before the Wildcats scored two runs in the fifth inning on RBI singles from Eric Lowe and Todd Czinege for a 2-0 advantage.

Villanova increased its lead to 3-0 in the sixth after Donovan May crossed home plate on an RBI sacrifice fly by David Gulati that went to right field.

The Green and White took advantage of a couple of defensive miscues in the seventh inning to even the score at 3-3. Junior Rick Salazar (Bloomindale, Ill./McHenry) started the scoring as he drew a walk with bases loaded that brought home senior David Wright (Desoto, Texas/Desoto), who got on base via a single. On the next play, freshman Cody Grosse (Joliet, Ill./West) and redshirt junior Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) both crossed home plate as a result of a VU fielding error for the tie.

The score remained the same until the ninth when Russell led off the inning with a walk and later scored on an error via a ball put in play by sophomore Cody Freund (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) for the winning tally.

CSU was led offensively by Salazar, who finished 2-of-4 with an RBI, and Freund as he hit 2-of-5 in the contest. Sophomore Zach Thomas (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West ) earned his first win of the season after holding the Wildcats to one hit in two scoreless innings of relief.

In the Otterbein game, the Cougars broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning to gain a 3-1 advantage when freshman Jeremy Cole (Rockford, Ill./East) lined an RBI infield single that scored Salazar and sophomore Matt Sullivan (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Huntley) scored on an error.

The Cardinals scored three runs in the fifth inning and added a run in the ninth to gain the win.

Junior Justin Wyant (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) struck out 13 batters in seven innings thrown, but took the loss for the Green and White after allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits.

CSU takes on Boston College and Indiana State tomorrow on its second day of the Snowbird Classic.

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Players Mentioned

#27 Cody Freund: C; 5' 11"; Sophomore; R-R

#31 Jake Perkins: P; 6' 1"; Junior; L-L

#1 Julian Russell: IF; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; R-R

#15 Matt Sullivan: IF; 5' 10"; Sophomore; R-R

#44 Zach Thomas: P/OF; 5' 11"; Sophomore; L-L

#30 David Wright: OF; 6' 0"; Senior; R-R

#6 Jeremy Cole: IF/OF/P; 5' 10"; Freshman; R-R

#10 Cody Grosse: IF/OF; 5' 7"; Freshman; R-L

#18 Justin Wyant: P; 6' 0"; Junior; R-R

#22 Rick Salazar: IF; 6' 0"; Junior; R-R

Players Mentioned

#27 Cody Freund
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; R-R
: C

#31 Jake Perkins
: 6' 1"; Junior; L-L
: P

#1 Julian Russell
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; R-R
: IF

#15 Matt Sullivan
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; R-R
: IF

#44 Zach Thomas
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; L-L
: P/OF

#30 David Wright
: 6' 0"; Senior; R-R
: OF

#6 Jeremy Cole
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R-R
: IF/OF/P

#10 Cody Grosse
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R-L
: IF/OF

#18 Justin Wyant
: 6' 0"; Junior; R-R
: P

#22 Rick Salazar
: 6' 0"; Junior; R-R
: IF

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned