MEQUON, Wis. – Following a game one loss against Edgewood College, the Concordia University Wisconsin knew it needed to find a way to pick up a victory in game two of a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader Monday. The Falcons would do just that, gaining an 11-8 win, to split with the Eagles at Stampfl Field. CUW dropped the opener by an 11-2 count.
A pair of seniors, Brandon Seifert and Joel Sharon, helped lead the offense as the Falcons pushed across 11 in the nightcap. Seifert (Germantown, Wis.) drove in a career-best four runs, while Sharon (Milwaukee, Wis.) homered to pace the CUW attack. The Falcons totaled 10 hits in game two with Seifert, Sharon and freshman Michael Szeszol (Lake Bluff, Ill.) each collecting two.
The game was tied at 5-5 heading into the eighth inning, which included Edgewood scoring three runs in the seventh to tie things up. The Falcons would respond, plating five in the eighth, two coming on a single from Szeszol, to take a 10-5 advantage. They would ultimately hold on for three-run win, remaining in the all-important sixth spot in the NACC standings.
CUW now holds a two game lead over Rockford, Wisconsin Lutheran and Dominican for the final spot in the NACC Tournament. The Falcons will play Lakeland next Saturday and need to win just one game to clinch a spot in the six-team field.
Senior Tyler Adams (Jackson, Wis.) picked up the win in game two after pitching seven strong innings. He allowed six runs, just four earned and struck out one while not issuing a walk. Junior Josh Ruppel (Belgium, Wis.) came on for the final two innings of relief and surrendered a pair of unearned runs. Ruppel gave up just one hit and struck out one.
Edgewood appeared to have the momentum in game two after Brad Clark belted a three-run home run, tying the score at 5-5. The Falcons would respond with the five-run eighth with Seifert and sophomore Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.) adding RBI in the frame. Tewes, who walked three times and doubled once, Sharon and leadoff man Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) all scored three times in game two. Thomas, Sharon, Seifert and Szeszol all stole a base in the win as well.
The opener was all about the Edgewood first inning as the Eagles built a 7-0 lead after one complete. Zack Creekmore hit a two-run home run in the first, while Danny Appino capped off the frame with a two-run double.
Edgewood would add a run in the second on a solo shot from Clark, while Callen Gavic deliverd a three-run blast in the fourth to make the score 11-0. The Falcons would plate one run each in the sixth and seventh innings making the final 11-2 in favor of the host Eagles.
Sharon and freshman Justin Barney (Kenosha, Wis.) delivered RBI in the opener as CUW was held to five hits. Thomas had the lone extra-base hit in game one, a double.
The Falcons will return to action Wednesday in a non-league game at the University of Chicago. The single game is set for a 4 p.m. start.
