Baseball drops NACC Tournament opener

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team couldn't find the clutch hit when needed Thursday in its opening game of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Baseball Tournament. The Falcons were edged by MSOE, 3-2, forcing them into an elimination game against Dominican University tomorrow.

THE BASICS
- Final Score: MSOE (5th seed in NACC Tournament) 3, Concordia Wisconsin 2 (4th seed)
- Location: Kapco Park – Mequon, Wis.
- Records: MSOE 21-20; Concordia Wisconsin 23-18

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Raiders jumped on the board in the top of the first with a run, but the Falcons answered in the bottom of the third, tying the game at 1-1. MSOE would score the eventual winning run in the fifth, when it plated a pair of runs, with the Falcons only able to muster up a run in the bottom of the sixth.

- It was mostly about pitching as senior Andrew Mueller (Horicon, Wis.) turned in a complete game effort for the Falcons. Mueller gave up three runs, while striking out a season-best nine hitters. Michael Boehmer picked up the win for MSOE, throwing six quality innings. Brandon McCumber tossed two scoreless frames and Jacob Roley picked up the save for the Raiders.

- The Falcons had several chances to tie the game but couldn't capitalize. In the sixth, after making the score 3-2, CUW had runners at the corners with two outs. The Falcons would put a runner in scoring position in each of their final three at bats as well, but couldn't push across the tying run.

- Sophomore Dan Ranieri (Loves Park, Ill.) and junior Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) each collected two hits to pace the Falcons attack. Sophomore Anthony Lombardi (Kildeer, Ill.) picked up an RBI in the sixth for CUW.

- Tyler Doyle drove in two runs for the Raiders with a two-RBI single in the fifth inning. The Raiders scored in the first on an RBI single by Jimmy Carrington. CUW outhit MSOE 8-5, with neither team committing an error in the game.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons will look to avoid elimination when they take on Dominican tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. The winner of the CUW-Dominican game would play against at 4 p.m. tomorrow.