Baseball pushes winning streak to three with sweep of Wisconsin Lutheran

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team ran its winning streak to three games Wednesday with a sweep of Wisconsin Lutheran College in a Northern Athletics Conference twinbill at Kapco Park. The Falcons took game one, 5-2, before winning the nightcap, 14-8.

CUW used a strong pitching performance from junior Andrew Mueller (Horicon, Wis.) in game one as he kept the WLC bats off balance all game. Mueller tossed a complete game allowing six hits, while striking out 10. Both runs he surrendered were unearned as he picked up his first victory of the season.

The Falcons and Warriors were all tied up at 2-2 heading into the top of the eighth in the opening contest before CUW pushed two runs across to take a 4-2 lead. Sophomore Kyle Hegeman (New Berlin, Wis.) started the rally with a leadoff single and sophomore Joel Sharon (Glendale, Wis.) followed suit with a single of his own. A sac bunt moved Hegeman and Sharon to second and third with one out and then freshman Brock Bateman (Pewaukee, Wis.) laid down a squeeze bunt, which was thrown away by WLC, allowing both Hegeman and Sharon to score.

CUW (3-10, 3-1 NAC) would then add one run in the top of the ninth when senior Daniel Mueller (West Bend, Wis.) led off with a double and later scored on a Hegeman sacrifice fly. That would be all the run support Andrew Mueller would need as he finished off the Warriors for the game one victory.

Daniel Mueller, Sharon, and junior Beau Burgert (Oshkosh, Wis.) all had two hits to pace the Falcons in game one. Aaron Roeseler led WLC with three hits, while Jaime Paumen took the loss on the mound for the Warriors, throwing seven innings, allowing four earned.

In game two the Falcons bats came out hot as they plated six runs in the first three innings, including four in the second frame, building a 6-2 lead after three complete. Junior Jay Kuczynski (Cedarburg, Wis.) had a RBI-double in the four-run second, while Sharon recorded a two-RBI single.

WLC (6-5, 0-2 NAC) would trim the lead to 6-3 with a run in the seventh but CUW exploded for eight runs in the top of the eighth, taking a commanding 14-3 advantage. Hegeman had the big hit of the eight-run eighth as he cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to put the Falcons up 11 on the scoreboard.

The Warriors attempted a comeback with five runs in the bottom of inning eight but CUW held on, completing the sweep with a 14-8 game two victory.

Junior Austin Baglow (Walled Lake, Mich.) picked up the win for the Falcons in game two, throwing seven innings, scattering 10 hits and striking out five, while allowing three runs. Josh Ruppel was credited with the loss as CUW got to the WLC starter early. Ruppel's final line read 2.1 innings pitched allowing six runs, five earned and striking out two.

Hegeman was 3-for-3 in game two as he paced the CUW attack which finished with 12 hits. Sharon added three hits and drove in three runs, while Kuczysnki finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore Brandon Seifert (Germantown, Wis.) scored four runs in game two, while Bateman crossed the plate three times.

CUW will return to action Saturday when they visit Rockford College for a NAC doubleheader. First pitch between the Falcons and Regents is set for 12 p.m.