Falcons Fly Past Firebirds

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin baseball took a break from NACC play, hosted the Carthage Firebirds on Wednesday, May 3^rd, and earned the decisive 12-4 win, improving their overall record to 20-13 on the year. 

Senior Johannes Haakenson (Janesville, Wis.) led the game with a walk, while fellow senior Daniel Hahn (Cudahy, Wis.) advanced Haakenson to third with a single through the left side. With runners on the corners, senior Sean Tillmon (Plainfield, Ill.) hit an RBI single up the middle, scoring Haakenson and advancing Hahn to second. After senior Tristan Largent (Verona, Wis.) was walked, the bases were loaded for junior Jimmy Juergensen (Cedarburg, Wis.), who earned an RBI by drawing a walk, scoring Hahn. To cap off the first inning, sophomore Josh Aguiniga (Chicago, Ill.) scored Tillmon with a sacrifice fly RBI, giving the Falcons a 3-0 lead after one inning of play.

In the top of the second inning, sophomore starting pitcher Luke Bruckner (Fon du Lac, Wis.) completed the 1-2-3 inning. 

CUW added three more runs to their in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Brynden Cleveland (Crestwood, Ill.) singled through the left side to lead off the inning. Next, Johannes Haakenson was walked. With runners on first and second, Daniel Hahn bunted for a single and advanced on a throwing error for Carthage's third baseman, scoring Cleveland and advancing Haakenson to third. Tristan Largent added an RBI as he hit a ground ball, scoring Haakenson. Jimmy Juergensen added the third run of the inning with a single through the left side, scoring Daniel Hahn, extending the Falcon lead to 6-0.

Luke Bruckner retired nine straight Firebird batters in the third, fourth, and fifth inning, holding Carthage scoreless through five innings. Bruckner would finish his day with five scoreless innings pitched, facing 17 batters, with five strikeouts on 49 total pitches. 

The Falcons added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Josh Aguiniga started the inning with a single up the middle, while freshman Matt Miller (Fredonia, Wis.) was walked. Sophomore Kyle Flynn (Nashville, Tenn.) then laid a beautiful bunt between Carthage's pitcher and first baseman to load the bases for Brynden Cleveland. Cleveland drew a walk and earned himself an RBI on the play. 

After a Carthage pitching change, Johannes Haakenson also drew a walk, scoring Matt Miller from third. With bases loaded, Daniel Hahn hit a 2-RBI double down the left field line. With runners on second and third, Sean Tillmon was walked, loading the bases for Tristan Largent. Largent grounded into a double play which scored Haakenson from third, giving the Falcons a comfortable 11-0 lead. 

Carthage was able to scratch four runs in the top of the sixth inning, cutting the lead to 11-4. 

Then, in their half of the sixth inning, the Falcons earned one run as Daniel Hahn continued his fantastic day with an RBI single down the left field line scoring Aguiniga, who walked to lead off the inning, giving the Falcons a 12-4 lead.

The top of the seventh inning saw sophomore pitcher Matthew Ward (East Dundee, Ill.) strike out two Firebirds, holding Carthage scoreless. 

Meanwhile, the top of the eighth saw senior Blake Breon (Geneva, Ill.) complete the 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts in his first home appearance of the year.

At the top of the ninth, the Falcons were able to close the door on the Firebirds as Blake Breon got the first two outs courtesy of a 4-6-3 double play before senior Andrew Javoroski (Brown Deer, Wis.) recorded the final out of the game with a groundout back to the mound, completing the 12-4 win.

The Falcons will look ahead from here to a busy Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, where they will play doubleheaders against Illinois Tech, Aurora, and Benedictine.