Baseball, Saint John's split extra-inning games in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team and Saint John's University traded extra-inning wins in a non-conference split Friday during the team's spring trip. The Falcons won the pitchers dual in the opener, 1-0, in 10 innings, before falling 7-5 in an eight-inning game.

Freshman Carter Buuck (Hillsboro, Ore.) was once again dominant on the mound for CUW as he threw eight scoreless innings in the opening win. Buuck scattered five hits, while striking out eight compared to one walk. The rookie southpaw has begun his CUW career with a scoreless innings streak of 15 as he also tossed seven scoreless frames in his first start against Carroll.

The Falcons scored the winning run in the top of the 10th inning as freshman Nathan Thyssen (Appleton, Wis.) continued his scorching start to the season. Thyssen belted his fifth triple of the year, plating senior Joel Sharon (Milwaukee, Wis.) for the winning run. Thyssen finished the opening game with three of the Falcons seven hits, while another freshman, Kyle Hilliard (Oak Forest, Ill.) added a pair of hits.

Freshman Joey Schuman (New Lenox, Ill.) picked up the win for CUW after throwing the ninth inning. He struck out one in the ninth and paved the way for junior Josh Ruppel (Belgium, Wis.) to pick up the save. Ruppel and Schuman each did not allow a hit in their inning of work.

In the second game CUW fell behind 5-0 after four-and-a-half innings of play before rallying to tie the game at 5-5. The Falcons plated two runs in the fourth and fifth innings before scoring the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. CUW had the winning run on third in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't push it across, forcing extra innings.

Saint John's (7-6) would plate two runs in the top of the eight for the 7-5 win as Mike Stegora and Geno Larkin had RBI singles in the inning. Each player finished with two hits for the Johnnies, who pounded out 15 hits in game two.

Thyssen added two more hits in the second contest, including his sixth triple of the season. The CUW single season record is seven triples (by Sharon in 2013), while Thyssen already has six in just nine games.

Sophomore Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) and freshman Justin Barney (Kenosha, Wis.) each added two hits in the second contest, while Sharon and senior Brandon Seifert (Germantown, Wis.) scored two runs apiece. Sharon also added a double to lead off the seventh, which led to him scoring the tying run on a Thyssen triple.

Collin Felhaber went the distance for SJU in game two, allowing four earned runs and striking out 10. The Falcons hitters struggled with the strikeouts during the doubleheader, combining for 25 punchouts in the two games.

Ruppel got the start for CUW after earning the save in the opener and pitched the first three innings of the contest, surrendering just one run. Junior Tanner Seitzinger (Bridgeport, Ill.) was the pitcher of record as he pitched the final two innings, allowing a pair of runs.

CUW (3-6) will be back in action tomorrow against Central College in the Arizona trip finale. First pitch is set for 9 am (MST) and live stats will be available at CUWFalcons.com.