Baseball concludes spring trip with sweep of Augsburg

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team finished its 2017 spring trip to Arizona the way they started it: with a sweep of a doubleheader. The Falcons defeated Augsburg twice on Friday by scores of 5-4 and 3-1, finishing the trip with a 5-3 record.

THE BASICS
- Final Scores: CUW 5, Augsburg 4; CUW 3, Augsburg 1
- Location: Kino Sports Complex – Tucson, Arizona
- Records: CUW 6-5; Augsburg 10-8

GAME ONE (CUW 5, Augsburg 4)
- The Falcons trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning but tied the game on a two-RBI single off the bat of junior Kyle Hilliard (Oak Forest, Ill.).

- CUW would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs, two of those unearned. Pinch hitter Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.) came on for a sacrifice bunt with a runner on first and nobody out and Augsburg threw the ball into right field, allowing Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) to score the go-ahead run. The Falcons also got RBI doubles from Kyle Washburn (Pleasant Prairie, Wis.) and Dan Ranieri (Loves Park, Ill.) in the frame.

- Augsburg threatened in the seventh with a pair of runs, but reliever Scott Plachinski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) was able to get three outs for his second save in as many days. He was on in relief of start Mike Magdziarz (Frankfort, Ill.), who pitched six strong innings. Magdziarz allowed two runs, both unearned while giving up just one hit with six strikeouts.

- Ranieri paced the Falcons with two extra-base hits, a double and a triple. Washburn added two hits and scored two runs to help lead the CUW offense.

GAME TWO (CUW 3, Augsburg 1)
- Schubert was the story of game two as he went the distance in his first start of the season. He scattered eight hits and struck out three while walking just one. The senior also scored two of the three runs for the Falcons and stole a pair of bases.

- Augsburg had a chance again in game two to do some last damage, but Schubert struck out the final batter with the bases loaded to preserve the two-run win.

- Senior Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) had a strong game as well, finishing with three hits, including a double and a solo home run. Michael Szeszol (Lake Bluff, Ill.) added three hits from the leadoff spot in the order and drove in a run, while freshman Spencer Garnett (Clarendon Hills, Ill.) added an RBI of his own.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons are off until Saturday, April 1, which is scheduled to be the team's NACC opener at Wisconsin Lutheran. The doubleheader is set to start at noon.