PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The Chicago State baseball team closed the 2020 Snowbird Classic with a 3-0 shutout of Indiana State on Sunday afternoon. The Sycamores are coming off a 40-win campaign in 2019 and advanced to an NCAA Regional. The Cougars, who posted back-to-back, shutouts for the first time in five years, head back to Chicago as winners of their last two games.
Richard Paulino and
Christian Kuzemka (St. Charles, Illinois/) each registered two hits in the contest while
Vinnie Venturi (Pacifica, Calif./) was spectacular from the mound. The Pacifica, California native twirled 7.1 innings of work allowing just two hits while fanning six batters. Venturi moves to 2-1 on the mound this season.
The contest opened as a pitcher's duel as neither team could really get any offense going until the fifth inning. Both teams put runners on base in the second inning but neither could move anyone into a scoring position.
The Cougars got things rolling in the fifth inning by way of a leadoff single through the right side from Paulino.
Anthony Urso (Brooksville, Florida/) reached on a fielders choice which put Paulino into scoring position as he moved to second on the fielders choice and advanced to third. An RBI single from
Judah Wilbur (Denver, Colorado/) plated Paulino and back-to-back singles from Kuzemka and
Patrick Arndt (Chesterton, Ind./) sent both Wilbur and Urso home and put the Cougars ahead, 3-0.
Chicago State was able to keep the Sycamores at bay as they would only reach base three more times in the contest and never were able to move into a scoring position.
In the ninth the Sycamores had one more chance to get on the board and with one out were able to get a runner on base but the game ended as the Cougars turned a double play to earn the victory and their second consecutive shutout.
Up Next
The Cougars will continue their season-opening road stretch with the Midwest Classic on Marion, Illinois, Feb. 28-March 1. Chicago State will open action against Northern Illinois at 11 am.
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