Baseball posts pair of shutouts in NACC sweep of Lakeland

MEQUON, Wis. – For much of the recent Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball winning streak, the talk has been about the team's offense and ability to put up runs. While the Falcons continued to do that on Saturday, the pitching staff continued its recent run of success with a pair of shutouts in a NACC sweep over Lakeland. The Falcons took the opener 15-0 before winning game two, 8-0.

THE BASICS
- Final Scores: CUW 15, Lakeland 0 (F/7); CUW 8, Lakeland 0
- Location: Kapco Park – Mequon, Wisconsin
- Records: CUW 18-8, 9-3 NACC; Lakeland 10-18, 2-10 NACC

ANDREW GIBBONS AND DAN RANIERI POSTGAME

CUW 15, LAKELAND 0 (F/7 – GAME ONE)
- It was Andrew Gibbons (Markesan, Wis.) who delivered the gem on the mound in game one, throwing seven shutout frames. Gibbons allowed just three hits and walked a pair while striking out three in his fourth win of the season.

- Gibbons received plenty of run support as the Falcons scored in every inning. CUW put up three in both the first and second innings, added one in the third and fourth, two more in fifth and put up a five-spot in the sixth for the easy win.

- Dan Ranieri (Loves Park, Ill.) paced the Falcons with a 3-for-3 performance. Ranieri doubles once scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. Following him in the lineup was Matt Luft (Oshkosh, Wis.) who drove in a team-best four runs, while three-hitter Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) drove in three and had two hits.

- Going down the lineup, Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) and Kyle Hilliard (Oak Forest, Ill.) each collected two hits. Nathan Thyssen (Appleton, Wis.) collected a hit, scored once and drove in a run, while Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.) scored twice. Justin Barney (Kenosha, Wis.) added two hits and two runs scored and Kyle Washburn (Pleasant Prairie, Wis.) scored two runs. Every player in the CUW lineup scored a run and had at least one hit and eight of nine drove in a run.

CUW 8, LAKELAND 0 (GAME TWO)
- It was Matthew Olig (Plymouth, Wis.) turned in a strong performance on the mound in game two, delivering seven shutout frames for his third win in his last three starts. Olig scattered eight hits, walked one, and struck out three. Niko Kutsulis (Homer Glenn, Ill.) and Scott Plachinski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) each threw a scoreless inning in relief.

- Schubert, Thomas, and Thyssen paced the Falcons in game two with three hits apiece. Thyssen roped a pair of doubles, while Schubert and Thomas each drove in three runs. Thomas also tripled in the 8-0 win.

- Ranieri once again performed well from the top of the CUW lineup, scoring three runs. Tewes added two hits, as did Washburn.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons will visit Benedictine tomorrow for a NACC doubleheader featuring the second and third-place teams in the league standings. First pitch is set for noon.