Falcons Sweep Sunday Contests

TUCSON, Ariz. –  The Concordia Wisconsin baseball team picked up their first and second wins of the season on Sunday afternoon versus the Carthage College Firebirds and the Hamline University Pipers. 

In the first game against Carthage, the Falcons came away with the 12-11 victory. 

CUW took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Senior Johannes Haakenson (Janesville, Wis) kicked the inning off with a triple down the left field line. Two batters later, senior Sean Tillmon (Plainfeild, Ill.) also hit a triple, scoring Haakenson. Later in the inning, freshman Matt Miller (Fredonia, Wis.) hit a single, scoring in Tillmon. 

Carthage responded with one run in the bottom of the first and second inning, tying the game 2-2 after two innings. 

The Falcons regained the lead with a 5-run inning in the top of the third. Senior Daniel Hahn (Cudahy, Wis) led off the inning with a double. Then, Sean Tillmon and fellow senior Dillan Fike (Oak Lawn, Ill.) both reached on base after being walked, causing it to be bases loaded. With bases loaded, senior Tristan Largent (Verona, Wis.) hit a two-RBI single up the middle, giving the Falcons a 4-2 lead. 

After a dropped third strike throwing error from Carthage, CUW extended its lead to 5-2. Following a walk, the bases were again loaded for the Falcons, and Johannes Haakenson hit an RBI single. Concordia earned their fifth run of the inning, following a dropped third strike pass ball from the Firebirds. 

Carthage was able to tally two runs in their half of the third, making the score 7-4 in the Falcon's favor. 

CUW added two more runs in the fourth inning following a Carthage error that scored junior Jimmy Juergensen (Cedarburg, Wis.), who reached base after being walked, and a sacrifice fly RBI from sophomore Kyle Flynn (Nashville, Tenn.), who scored sophomore Matt Miller who was hit by a pitch earlier in the fourth inning.

Carthage was unable to respond in the fourth inning, giving CUW the 9-4 lead heading into the bottom of the 5th inning. 

The Falcons continued to put runs on the board in the fifth inning, where they scored two courtesy of Jimmy Juergensen's two-RBI double, which scored Daniel Hahn and Sean Tillmon, who both reached base after being walked. 

Once again, the Falcons were able to keep the Firebirds scoreless in the bottom of the fifth inning, giving the blue and white the 11-4 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Carthage was able to scratch two runs following a homerun, shrinking the Falcons' lead to 11-6. 

Then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Firebirds were able to add three more runs to their total, cutting CUW's lead to 11-9, heading into the eighth inning.

Concordia Wisconsin added their last run in the top of the eighth inning when sophomore Kyle Flynn hit an RBI double, scoring Dillan Fike, giving CUW the 12-9 lead, heading into the bottom of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Carthage was able to score two before Concordia Wisconsin junior Connor Krauseneck (Saginaw, Mich.) was able to close out the game for the Falcons, earning his first save of the season.

As a result, senior Ryan Green (Green Bay, Wis.) earned his first win of the year. In this matchup, Green struck out seven Firebirds, through six innings. 

For the day's second game, the Falcons took on the Hamlin University Pipers. CUW came away with the 29-8 victory, improving their overall record to 2-4, while Hamline fell to 2-8 on the season. 

The Falcons trailed 1-0 after the first inning. But in the second inning, Concordia Wisconsin was able to take the 7-1 lead. In that inning, senior Cole Aguirre (Chino Hills, Calif.) had an RBI double, senior Johannes Hakkenson had a 3-run home run, junior Jimmy Juergensen had an RBI double, freshman Matt Miller added a 2-run home run, sophomore Brynden Cleveland (Crestwood, Ill.) had an RBI single, and Cole Aguirre had an RBI triple. 

In the third inning, the Falcons continued their offensive surge, adding ten runs courtesy of Brynden Cleveland's RBI single, Cole Aguirre's RBI triple and two RBI single, Sean Tillmon's sacrifice fly RBI, Matt Miller's RBI double, Johannes Hakkenson RBI single, as well as some errors committed by Hamline. 

After the third inning, the score favored the Falcons 17-2. 

In the fourth inning, Jimmy Juergensen extended that lead to 19-2 with a two-run home run. 

The Falcons continued their impressive offensive pace, ending the game with 29 runs. As a team, the Falcons finished with 21 hits, including three home runs. Johannes Haakenson had four hits and six RBIs, Matt Miller finished with three hits and four RBIs, and Cole Aguirre had three hits and 4 RBIs.

Sophomore Zach Slome (Schaumburg, Ill.) earned his first win of the season, while freshman JT Hockers (Middleton, Wis.) closed out the game. On the offensive end, the Falcons were led by Johannes Haakenson, who had four hits and six RBIs; Matt Miller, with three hits and four RBIs; and Cole Aguirre who had three hits and 4 RBIs.

The Falcons will continue their play at the Tucson Invitational Games on Monday, March 13th, where they will take on the Augsburg University Auggies in a doubleheader.