Falcons Extend Winning Streak to Five

TUCSON, Ariz. –  On Wednesday morning, the Concordia Wisconsin baseball team extended their winning streak to five games after rallying in the seventh inning to beat the Macalester Scots 5-3.

Macalester struck first and took a 2-0 inning in the top of the third inning following an RBI triple and a Falcon fielding error.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Falcons responded with a run of their own. Junior Jimmy Juergensen (Cedarburg, Wis.) led off the inning and was walked. Juergensen then advanced to second base following a wild pitch. He eventually scored after junior Sterling Armstrong (Lake Barrington, Ill.) hit a hard ground ball, causing a fielding error by Macalester's shortstop.

Entering the top of the fifth inning, the score was 2-1 in favor of Macalester.

The Scots extended their lead to 3-1 following a homerun to right field.

Concordia was able to shrink Macalester after scoring one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jimmy Juergensen led off the inning with a single to the ride side of the field. Freshman Matt Miller (Fredonia, Wis.) also added a single to right center, advancing Juergensen to second base. Juergensen advanced to third following a fly ball from sophomore Kyle Flynn (Nashville, Tenn.). Sterling Armstrong scored Juergensen on a fielder's choice RBI, cutting the Macalester lead to 3-2 entering the top of the seventh.

On the defensive end, senior Blake Breon (Geneva, Ill.) kept the Scots scoreless in the top bottom of the seventh on 17 total pitches.

The Falcons took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Senior Cole Aguirre (Chino Hills, Calif.) led off the inning after being hit by a pitch. Senior Johannes Haakenson (Janesville, Wis.) singled with a bunt, advancing Aguirre to second. Then, senior Daniel Hahn (Cudahy, Wis.) grounded out to shortstop, advancing runners to second and third. Senior Sean Tillmon (Plainfield, Ill.) was then walked, bringing up bases loaded with Jimmy Juergensen up to bat. Juergensen then hit a 2-RBI single to left field scoring Aguirre and Hakkenson. Following Juergensen's at-bat, Matt Miller singled to left field, adding a run to the Falcon score.

Following the bottom of the seventh inning, the Falcons led 5-3.

At the top of the eighth, the Falcons faced bases loaded with one out. Sophomore pitcher Chris Rooney (Mundelein, Ill.) got out of the jam forcing a 1-2-3 double play. Macelester's batter hit the ball back to Rooney, who fielded it and threw it to sophomore catcher Brynden Cleveland (Crestwood, Ill.), who then turned and fired the ball to senior first baseman Tristan Largent (Verona, Wis.), closing out the inning.

CUW kept the Scots scoreless in the top of the ninth, earning them their fifth win of the season.

Junior starting pitcher Max Nebel (Phoenix, Ariz.) pitched six innings, faced 27 batters, and struck out four. Meanwhile, Blake Breon earned his first win of the season, while Chris Rooney earned his first save of the season.

On the offensive end, Jimmy Juergensen led the Falcons with three hits and two RBIs while Matt Miller had three hits and one RBI. Sterling Armstrong also added two RBIs while Daniel Hahn also had two hits.

The Falcons will look to continue their winning streak in on Friday, March 17th, where they will take on the Carleton College Knights in a doubleheader at the Tucson Invitational Games.