Baseball swept by Marian in NACC doubleheader

FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team dropped both games of an NACC doubleheader Sunday at Marian. The Falcons fell in the opener, 6-3, before falling victim to a walkoff in game two in a 5-4 final.

The two defeats drops CUW to 7-7 in league play with three conference doubleheaders remaining. The Falcons currently sit in fifth place in the conference standings and the top six teams qualify for the NACC Tournament, set for May 7-10 at Kapco Park.

In the opener CUW jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-RBI single from sophomore Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.). Tewes single scored freshmen Michael Szeszol (Lake Bluff, Ill.) and Nathan Thyssen (Appleton, Wis.). Marian would answer with a run each in the first and second inning, making the score 2-2 after two complete.

The 2-2 score would remain until the sixth inning when the host Sabres took a 3-2 lead before adding three runs in the seventh for a 6-2 advantage. CUW made the score 6-3 in the top of the eighth on an RBI triple from Thyssen, his ninth of the season. Thyssen paced the Falcons offense with two hits in the opener.

Freshman Carter Buuck (Hillsboro, Ore.) was saddled with the loss in the opener despite throwing 6.2 quality innings. He allowed just two earned runs and fell victim to some shake defense, while striking out four and walking a pair. Brett Barger picked up the win for Marian, pitching 7.2 innings and surrendering three runs.

The nightcap saw the Falcons build a 4-0 lead early only to watch their bats go silent over the final six innings. Marian came back with two runs in the fourth, two more in the seventh and then struck for the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single from Tommy Dugandzic. The Sabres game-winning run in the ninth was unearned on the lone Falcons error of game two.

Junior Kyle Hegeman (New Berlin, Wis.) had two hits for the Falcons in game two, while senior Brandon Seifert (Germantown, Wis.) roped a two-RBI double in the second inning. One of Hegeman's hits was also a double, the only two extra-base hits of the second contest for CUW.

Sophomore Andrew Heideman (Bakersfield, Calif.) got the start for the Falcons in the nightcap but did not factor into the decision as he threw six quality innings. Heideman struck out five batters while allowing three runs. Sophomore Dylan Gausman (Eagan, Minn.) tossed the final 2.2 innings, surrendering two runs, one earned, as he was the pitcher of record for CUW. A.J. Alessi got the win for Marian despite recording just one out.

CUW (15-15, 7-7 NACC) will return to action Wednesday when it hosts St. Norbert in a non-conference game at Kapco Park. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.