Game one walkoff gives Baseball a split with Pointers

MEQUON, Wis. – Matt Luft delivered a game-winning sacrifice fly in game one, helping the Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team to a doubleheader split with UW-Stevens Point Tuesday afternoon. The Falcons took the opener, 3-2, before falling, 9-3, in game two.

THE BASICS
- Final Scores: CUW 3, UWSP 2; UWSP 9, CUW 3
- Location: Kapco Park – Mequon, Wisconsin
- Records: CUW 20-14; UWSP 23-9

CUW 3, UWSP 2
- The Falcons entered the bottom of the seventh tied at 2-2 but Luft (Mesa, Ariz.) delivered the walk-off sacrifice fly, scoring Christian Gerner (Mequon, Wis.). Gerner started the rally with an infield single and went from first to third on a sacrifice bunt from Kyle Washburn (Pleasant Prairie, Wis.) as the Pointers failed to cover third base on the play. Two intentional walks set the stage for Luft, who delivered with the game-winning sacrifice fly.

- The Pointers tied the game in the top of the seventh as Aaron Simmons launched a solo home run over the right-field wall. UWSP, who trailed 2-0 at one point, scored in the top of the sixth as well.

- The Falcons built a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Nathan Thyssen (Appleton, Wis.) hit a sacrifice fly and Luft followed up with an RBI single. Luft drove in two runs, one in each of his two plate appearances as he entered midway through the contest.

- Matthew Olig (Plymouth, Wis.) threw well for the Falcons but did not factor into the decision as the sophomore right-hander went 6.1 innings, allowing two earned. Scott Plachinski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) picked up his fifth win of the season, throwing two-thirds of an inning.

- Gerner paced the Falcons offensive attack with two hits and two runs scored.

UWSP 9, CUW 3
- The Pointers rebounded in game two, using a four-run first and a four-run seventh to gain a 9-3 victory. Three of the first-inning runs were unearned after a Falcons error with two outs in the frame.

- Bradley Hansen drove in four runs in the game for UWSP while leadoff batter Ryan Stanicek drove in a pair on a two-run blast in the seventh inning. Thyssen and freshman Kyle Hammitt (Muskego, Wis.) each belted round-trippers for the Falcons.

- CUW used several different pitchers in the game, none more effective than Niko Kutsulis (Homer Glenn, Ill.). Kutsulis threw four perfect frames, striking out four from the second through fifth innings.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons will host MSOE in a NACC doubleheader Saturday at noon.