PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Concordia University Wisconsin baseball team defeated Grinnell College, 8–6, to open play at the Pensacola Challenge. The matchup marked just the third meeting between the two programs and the second straight year they have faced off in Pensacola. With the win, the Falcons improve to 2–8 on the season.
The game remained tight through the first five innings, but the Pioneers held a 5–3 advantage heading into the top of the sixth. The Falcons quickly put two runners on base as junior
Connor Lasch (Chicago, Ill.) drew a walk and freshman
Jack Anzelmo (Appleton, Wis.) doubled, forcing a Grinnell pitching change.
Grinnell recorded the first out of the inning, but an error during freshman
Mick Vagner's (Crown Point, Ind.) at-bat allowed Lasch to score. One batter later, senior
Brandon McCray (Cornoa, Calif.) worked a walk to load the bases for junior
Alex Ames (Plymouth, Wis.). Ames delivered an RBI single to give the Falcons a 6–5 lead.
CUW held the lead and added another run in the top of the seventh when junior
Luke Heinkel (Brookfield, Wis.) drove in a run with an RBI single. The Pioneers attempted a comeback in the bottom of the eighth, but the Falcon defense held strong.
Sophomore
Graham Kasten (Mequon, Wis.) added insurance in the top of the ninth with a home run, extending the Royal Blue and Grey lead to two runs. Concordia Wisconsin again held firm in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
Anzelmo led the Falcons at the plate with three hits, including two doubles. Lasch added a double and the team's lone triple of the game. Vagner, Ames, and Heinkel each recorded two RBIs. Ames, Anzelmo, and McCray also stole a base.
Senior
Nick Barksdale (Walnut Creek, Calif.) made the start on the mound for the Falcons and earned the win, improving to 1–2 on the season. He pitched five innings, facing 26 batters and striking out six. Freshman
Ben Peterson (Minocqua, Wis.) handled the next 2.1 innings before classmate
Jackson Kobylarczyk (Jackson, Wis.) entered to close the game. In the final 1.2 innings, Kobylarczyk did not allow a hit and struck out two batters to earn the save.
CUW returns to the diamond tomorrow to face Nebraska Wesleyan. The contest will mark the first meeting between the two programs, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
