PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Concordia University Wisconsin baseball team defeated Grinnell, 7–5, to complete a sweep of the Pioneers at the Pensacola Challenge. The game marked the second meeting between the teams in Florida and the fourth overall, with the Falcons improving their advantage in the series to 3–1.
 
With the win, the Royal Blue and Grey extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 4–8 on the season.
 
The Falcons jumped ahead with a four-run inning early in the contest. Junior Connor Lasch (Chicago, Ill.) drove in the first run of the day with an RBI single. A Grinnell error later in the frame allowed junior Luke Heinkel (Brookfield, Wis.) to score, before junior Jason Valdez (Glendale Heights, Ill.) capped the inning with a two-RBI single to left field.
 
Grinnell answered with three runs before the middle of the fifth inning to cut the Falcons' lead to 4–3. Concordia Wisconsin responded in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Jack Anzelmo (Appleton, Wis.) launched his third home run of the season. Later in the inning, sophomore Brady Coons (Kimberly, Wis.) singled to bring home Heinkel, who had reached base earlier with a single, forcing a pitching change by the Pioneers to end the frame.
 
The Falcons added another insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Valdez opened the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch during Coons' at-bat. Coons then delivered again with a single to right field, allowing Valdez to score.
 
Grinnell attempted to rally in the top of the ninth but was unable to complete the comeback, securing the victory for CUW.
 
Freshman Preston Regnier (Yorkville, Ill.) made the start on the mound for the Falcons, pitching 4.1 innings. Freshman Isaac Ziegler (Post Falls, Idaho) entered in the fifth inning and worked the next three frames. Freshman Jack Gulley (Cypress, Texas) and senior Tyler Bartczak (Crestwood, Ill.) each made relief appearances to close out the game. Ziegler earned the win to improve to 1–0 on the season, while Bartczak recorded his first career save.
 
At the plate, Anzelmo led the Falcons with a 3-for-4 performance. Heinkel also recorded the team's lone triple, while senior Brandon McCray (Corona, Calif.) and sophomore Graham Kasten (Mequon, Wis.) each added a stolen base.
 
CUW will conclude its time at the Pensacola Challenge tomorrow with a matchup against Trinity. The game marks just the second meeting between the programs, with the previous contest coming in 2013 when the Bantams defeated the Falcons, 17–7. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.