Perkins Posts Career-Best 12 K’s in CSU Win over Northern Colorado

Jake Perkins recorded a career-best 12 strikeouts over seven innings in CSU's 4-2 home win Friday over Northern Colorado

Box Score

CHICAGO – Junior Jake Perkins (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) recorded a career-best 12 strikeouts as the Chicago State baseball team continued their five-game homestand tonight here at Cougar Stadium with a 4-2 win over Northern Colorado to open a Western Athletic Conference weekend series.

The lefty tallied eight of his strikeouts in the first four innings while holding the Bears to no hits and allowing one baserunner en route to improving his season record to 3-5, including a 2-3 mark against conference opponents. He allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings of work and only walked two batters.

CSU broke a scoreless tie in the second inning when senior Chris Hipchen (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) lined an RBI single through the right side which plated junior Sanford Hunt (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood) to a 1-0 lead.

The visitors evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Tyler Yamaguchi that brought home Dan Reese, but senior Andy Gertonson (Crystal Lake Ill./Central) recorded a two-run single to give the Cougars the lead back at 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning.

An RBI sacrifice fly by Yamaguchi to right field in the top of the seventh sliced NC's deficit at 3-2 before Gertonson struck again in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single to score sophomore Matt Sullivan (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Huntley) which ended the scoring.

Gertonson batted 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and drove in three runs to lead the Cougar offense. Sophomore Zach Thomas (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West ) captured his second save of the season after allowing a hit in two scoreless relief innings while recording two strikeouts and walked a batter.

Dean Lawson led the Bears at the plate by hitting 2-for-4 on the day. Connor Leedholm (3-6) gave up two runs on four hits in two innings of relief to take the loss in addition to posting five strikeouts for UNC.

Both teams will continue the weekend series with the second game tomorrow afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. Updates from the game will be provided on www.twitter.com/ChiStateCougars.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Andy Gertonson: OF/IF; 6' 4"; Senior; R-R

#19 Chris Hipchen: OF; 6' 2"; Senior; R-R

#25 Sanford Hunt: IF; 6' 0"; Junior; R-R

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

#7 Andy Gertonson
: 6' 4"; Senior; R-R
: OF/IF

#19 Chris Hipchen
: 6' 2"; Senior; R-R
: OF

#25 Sanford Hunt
: 6' 0"; Junior; R-R
: IF

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

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

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

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned