Baseball Rallies at MSOE

GLENDALE, Wis. – The Falcons split at MSOE on Saturday afternoon to move to 11-9 on the year and 3-3 in the NACC. One of the NACC frontrunners, MSOE, took game one, 15-3. The Falcons responded with a 14-9 victory in game two.

The Raiders opened the game by scoring the first nine runs in game one.

Senior Johannes Haakenson (Janesville, Wis.) put the Falcons on the scoreboard with an inside-the-park home run that also plated senior Brandon Niedfeldt (Roscoe, Ill.).

Junior Jimmy Juergensen (Cedarburg, Wis.) also smacked the ball out of the park in game one in the sixth inning over the right-field fence.

Junior Max Nebel (Phoenix, Ariz.) had a pair of strikeouts for the Blue and White in the first game.

Johannes Haakenson was a perfect four-for-four at the plate against the Raiders in game one. He was a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

Senior Sean Tillmon (Plainfield, Ill.) stole a base in the loss.

The bats came alive for the Falcons in game two with 14 hits.

Sophomore Josh Aguiniga (Chicago, Ill.) started the scoring in the second inning with a single to center field that scored sophomore Kyle Flynn (Nashville, Tenn.). Aguiniga then scored on a single off the bat of Maier to right field.

The Raiders rumbled for three runs in the second to take the lead.

In the fourth inning, freshman Matt Miller (Fredonia, Wis.) had a sacrifice fly that allowed Kyle Flynn to scurry across home plate to tie the game.

The Raiders reclaimed the lead with a two-run fourth inning.

A wild pitch in the fifth inning scored Johannes Haakenson to take a cut out of the MSOE lead.

A sacrifice fly extended the MSOE lead to 6-4 heading into the sixth inning.

The birds went off for six runs in the sixth inning.

Sophomore Brynden Cleveland (Crestwood, Ill.) started the spree with a bases-loaded walk that allowed Matt Miller to score. Johannes Haakenson also scored Aguiniga on a walk.

Senior Daniel Hahn (Cudahy, Wis.) cleared the bases with a grand slam that scored Johannes Haakenson, Brynden Cleveland and senior Cody Maier (Mandan, N.D.).

In the eighth inning, MSOE trimmed the deficit to 10-7 with a sacrifice fly.

The Falcons responded in the ninth inning when Kyle Flynn scored on a wild pitch.

Daniel Hahn struck again with a double into the gap in left-center field that allowed Johannes Haakenson, sophomore Will Sommers (Mount Prospect, Ill.) and Jack Owens to score.

MSOE added two runs in the bottom of the ninth but it was not enough to overcome the Falcons.

Sophomore Zach Slome (Schaumburg, Ill.) picked up his third victory of the year and finished with four strikeouts. Sophomore Chris Rooney (Mundelein, Ill.) came in for relief and notched three strikeouts.

Daniel Hahn finished with a game-high four hits and a career-best seven RBI.

Josh Aguiniga also stole a base in the victory.

The Falcons return to action on Monday for the unofficial home opener against Rockford.