MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team settled for a split against Lakeland in a NACC doubleheader Saturday at Kapco Park. The Falcons rolled in the opener, scoring 12 times in a 12-3 victory, before dropping game two by an 8-4 count.
THE BASICS
- Final Scores: CUW 12, Lakeland 3; Lakeland 8, CUW 4
- Location: Kapco Park – Mequon, Wisconsin
- Records: CUW 14-11, 4-5 NACC; Lakeland 5-13, 1-7 NACC
CUW 12, LAKELAND 3
- The Falcons had little trouble in the opener as the combination of timely hitting and a strong pitching performance from Seth Cox (Gilbert, Ariz.) led them to a nine-run win. Cox went the distance in his second win of the season, striking out six and allowing two earned. He scattered eight hits and did not issue a walk.
- The game was tied at 3-3 after Lakeland scored three times in the top of the fifth, but the Falcons responded with two in the bottom half and six in the sixth, taking an 11-3 lead. Dan Ranieri (Loves Park, Ill.) hit a two-run home run in the fifth while Kyle Hilliard (Oak Forest, Ill.) ripped a solo shot earlier in the game.
- CUW had the bats going in the opener to the tune of 17 hits. Every starter collected at least one hit, led by Ranieri who was 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Michael Szeszol (Lake Bluff, Ill.), Justin Barney (Kenosha, Wis.), Hilliard, Eric Paz (Kenosha, Wis.), and Christian Gerner (Mequon, Wis.) all collected two hits for the Falcons. Austen Dart (Algoma, Wis.) also added two hits, both doubles for CUW.
LAKELAND 8, CUW 4
- Lakeland snapped a 13-game losing streak in game two as the Muskies were led by Jacob Plucinski who launched a grand slam in the second inning, making the score 4-2. Plucinski collected two hits in the win for Lakeland.
- CUW made the score 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth but the Muskies pulled away with two runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The Falcons would score a run in the ninth, making the final 8-4.
- Alex Prickett (Cedarburg, Wis.) took the loss for CUW, throwing six innings. The Falcons used three relievers to finish things out, including scoreless frames from Eric Dubek (Lockport, Ill.) and Sam Warady (Lake Zurich, Ill.).
- Hilliard finished game two 2-for-2 and Szeszol added two hits for the Falcons.
UP NEXT
- The Falcons will host Wisconsin Lutheran for two games at Kapco Park tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran will be the home team on the scoreboard as the games were moved from Milwaukee to Mequon due to unplayable field conditions at the Warriors home field.
