MEQUON, Wis. – With one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the 11th inning of game two, senior Brandon Seifert delivered a game-winning single down the right field line, allowing Concordia University Wisconsin to split a NACC doubleheader against Benedictine Saturday at Kapco Park. Seifert's hit gave CUW an 8-7 win in game two, while the Falcons fell 3-2 in the opener.
Game two saw the visiting Eagles erase a five-run deficit with a five-run sixth inning, forcing a 6-6 tie. The Falcons would regain the lead with a run in the seventh, but Benedictine answered in the ninth, forcing extra innings. After a scoreless 10th, Seifert (Germantown, Wis.) singled in sophomore Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) for the game two win.
Junior Josh Ruppel (Belgium, Wis.) picked up the win for CUW after pitching 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Ruppel came on in the ninth in a 7-7 game and the tying run on first with one out. Tim Hendricks, who had the game-tying hit for Benedictine, then stole second and advanced to third on an errant throw, giving the Eagles the go-ahead run on third. Ruppel would walk his first hitter before forcing an inning-ending double play, escaping the jam.
The first four batters of the Falcons lineup all had two hits in game two, including freshman Nathan Thyssen (Appleton, Wis.) who tripled as well. Thyssen's triple was his eighth of the season, which is a new CUW record. Even more, the rookie is on pace to break the NCAA Division III triples record for a season, which is 15.
Adding two hits was Thomas, senior Joel Sharon (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Seifert, who finished the game with two RBI. Junior Kyle Hegeman (New Berlin, Wis.) added an RBI double in the game, which gave CUW a 7-6 lead in the seventh inning.
Concordia Wisconsin jumped out to a 6-1 lead after five innings and appeared well on its way to a win as starting pitcher Andrew Heideman (Bakersfield, Calif.) was cruising through five innings. Heideman was touched up a bit in the sixth, before Tyler Adams (Jackson, Wis.) came on in relief. Heideman finished the game with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. Adams allowed one run in 2.2 innings of relief, while striking out a pair and Ruppel did not allow a hit in his 2.2 innings of work.
The opening game was another close one for the Falcons, but they were unable to rally after falling behind 3-0, resulting in a 3-2 final. The opener also saw freshman Carter Buuck's scoreless innings streak come to an end in the fifth innings. Buuck (Hillsboro, Ore.) had 28 straight scoreless innings before Benedictine third basemen Erik Callaghan ended it with a solo home run in the fifth. The Eagles would add one more in the fifth for a 2-0 lead.
Buuck finished the game working seven innings and allowing just two earned runs, while striking out five. Sophomore Dylan Gausman (Eagan, Minn.) worked two scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out one.
CUW scored one run in the seventh on and RBI sac fly from sophomore Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) and added one in the eighth when Justin Barney (Kenosha, Wis.) scored on a passed ball, but couldn't push across the tying run in a 3-2 loss.
Cody Netzel picked up the win for Benedictine, working 6.2 innings and allowing one run. Dylan Smith came on for the save, pitching the final 2.2 innings, giving up one unearned run and striking out a pair.
The Falcons will have Easter Sunday off before returning to the diamond Monday for a NACC twinbill at Aurora. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
