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Box Score 2 Game One HTML Box I
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GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Chicago State split a Great West Conference baseball doubleheader at North Dakota's Kraft Memorial Field on Friday (May 17). Chicago State rallied from a 3-0 deficit in game one to win 6-4. North Dakota fell behind 4-0 in game two but came back to win 5-4.
Game One: Chicago State 6, North Dakota 4 (7 innings)
Already training 3-0, the Cougars cut the deficit to just one run with a two spot in the top of the third. Freshman
Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) had the big hit, a two-out 2-RBI single. The Cougars tied it with a run in the fourth on an RBI double by senior
Jeremy Legania (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence) that scored junior
Dylan Sterrett (Chalmers, Ind./Frontier). In the fifth Sterrett singled with two outs and two strikes to knock in Russell. Sophomore
Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame) then scored on a first-third double steal to end the inning. It made the score 5-3 in favor of the Cougars.
UND struck for a run in the fifth only to see the Cougars get the run back in the sixth to make the score 6-4. Sophomore
Aveeno Nasiloski (Hammond, Ind./Gavit) singled to start the sixth and took second when the ball was bobbled by the UND left fielder. He was sacrificed over and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Legania.
“Aveeno hustled out of the box on his hit to leadoff the sixth and got to second because of it,” Chicago State head coach
Steve Joslyn said. “That add on run was big after they put up a run. But we had a lot of guys have great situational at bats including Jeremy coming up big in some crucial spots.”
The two-run cushion would be more than enough for Chicago State starter junior
Andrew Wellwerts (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central). He got the final six outs of the game in order to improve his record to 3-10. He allowed four runs on eight hits in a complete-game seven inning effort. He now has six complete games this season.
“Andrew didn't have the best start to the game but he battled and got better as the game went on,” Joslyn said. “Once we took the lead he made sure it wasn't tied again.”
Legania finished with two RBI, two hits and a run scored. Six other Cougars recorded a hit in the game.
Game Two: North Dakota 5, Chicago State 4
The Cougars offensive success continued early in game two. Chicago State scored four runs in the first inning with the big blow being a two-run home run by sophomore
Aveeno Nasiloski (Hammond, Ind./Gavit). It was his second of the season. His home run knocked in Sterrett. Russell and Romanin scored earlier in the frame.
Little did the Cougars realize at the time but it would be all the scoring they would do in game two. North Dakota chipped away at the four-run deficit with single runs in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth. The 5-4 score held up the rest of the way.
The Cougars had a chance to tie it in the seventh when Legania singled to leadoff the frame. He was on third with two outs when senior
Eric O'Brien (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino) came to plate. O'Brien smoked a liner directly at the third baseman for the third out of the inning.
Despite the rough first inning North Dakota starter Tyler Ruemmele went all nine innings to get the win and move his record to 2-6. Sophomore
Jerry Silva (Chicago, Ill./Holy Trinity) allowed two runs (one earned) in four innings of relief. He took the loss and is 0-3.
Chicago State is now 8-42 (5-22 GWC). North Dakota is now 22-20-1 (12-11 GWC). The two clubs will finish the four-game series on Saturday with a 1 p.m. single game. It will be the final game of the regular season for the Cougars.
