PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The Chicago State baseball team split doubleheader with Dartmouth College on Saturday at the Snowbird Classic earning their first victory of the 2020 season.
In the victory, the Cougars leaned on the arm of Rodney Valdes. The pitcher went 8.0 innings allowed just three hits and kept the Big Green off the scoreboard.
The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when the Cougars broke through with a run. With two outs, Brock single to get the Cougars on base. He then proceeded to use his wheels to steal second base to put the Cougars in scoring position.
Dalton Daily (Visalia, California/) nailed and RBI single to left field which sent Brock around the bases and gave the Cougars the advantage.
Valdes was able to keep the Big Green of the board in the seventh and were able to add a pair of runs in the home half of the inning.
Judah Wilbur (Denver, Colorado/) opened the inning with a single, followed by a walk for Anthony Uso putting two runners on base. A two RBI double from
Josue Ortiz (Carolina, Puerto Rico/) sent both Wilbur and Uso home and put the Cougars up 3-0.
Dartmouth had a chance in the ninth as they were able to load the bases but a fly out I the final at bat, gave the Cougars the victory.
Judah Wilbur (Denver, Colorado/) was 2-of-4 for the game and Valdes was phenomenal on the mound. In 8.0 innings of work he allowed just three hits and had three strikeouts while facing 27 batters.
In the first game of the twinbill, the Cougars and Big Green both opened the scoring in the first inning. The Cougars opened the game with a double from
Andy Gaytan (Oak Forest, Ill./) to give the Cougars an early runner on base. Gayton moved to third on a wild pitch and was plated on a
Richard Paulino (San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic) single to the shortstop.
The Big Green answered with a triple to open the home half of the inning and had runners on the corners after a walk. The Cougars were able to put one away with a double play not before a Dartmouth player came home to tie the contest.
Dartmouth took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a leadoff double followed by a walk to put two runners on base. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and the Big Green used an RBI sac fly to put a run on the board. The Cougars answered and added a run in the fifth inning but couldn't get anyone else around the bases while the Big Green tacked on four runs to earn the victory. Andy Gayton was 2-of-4 from the plate in the first game while
Brett Gregory (Lompoc, Calif./Cabrillo) twirled 4.1 innings of work with four strikeouts.
Up Next
The Cougars will close action at the Snowbird Classic against Indiana State. First pitch is set for 1 pm.
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