TUCSON, Ariz. – The Concordia University Wisconsin baseball team picked up its first win of the season on the final day of the Tucson Invitational Games. The Falcons split a pair of seven-inning games against Wheaton, falling in the opener before earning a victory in the nightcap. CUW now sits at 1-8 overall.
 
GAME 1 | Wheaton 10, Concordia Wisconsin 7
Wheaton took the first game of the doubleheader despite a four-run fourth inning from the Falcons.
 
Junior Connor Lasch (Chicago, Ill.) led the Royal Blue and Grey offensively, launching a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Classmate Luke Heinkel (Brookfield, Wis.) and freshman Jameson Dick (Chesapeake, Va.) each added an RBI in the frame. Heinkel lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that scored sophomore Graham Kasten (Mequon, Wis.), while Dick doubled to right field to bring home junior Alex Ames (Plymouth, Wis.).
 
Wheaton extended its lead in the top of the sixth, pushing the score to 7-5 before the Falcons responded in the bottom half. Heinkel opened the inning with a single down the right-field line and was replaced at first by pinch runner freshman Mick Vagner (Crown Point, Ind.). Another single down the right-field line from Lasch allowed Vagner to move to third. Sophomore Colyn Lessila (Germantown, Wis.) later grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Vagner to cut into the deficit.
 
The Thunder added three more runs in the top of the seventh to make it 10-6 before the Falcons came to the plate for their final at-bat. After a Wheaton error, freshman Jack Anzelmo (Appleton, Wis.) reached third base. Senior Matt Miller (Fredonia, Wis.) followed with a groundout that allowed Anzelmo to score an unearned run.
 
Freshman Jack Stuck (Bayside, Wis.) started on the mound for CUW, pitching 5.1 innings while striking out four and allowing just one walk against 27 batters. Senior Nick Barksdale (Walnut Creek, Calif.) pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief. Stuck was charged with the loss and moves to 0-2 on the season.
 
GAME 2 | Concordia Wisconsin 10, Wheaton 8
The Falcons bounced back in the second game to earn their first win of the season.
 
After a scoreless first inning, CUW plated four runs in the top of the second. Miller started the rally with a double to left field that brought in a run. With two runners on, Vagner stepped to the plate and put the first pitch in play, driving in both runners for a two-RBI hit. Ames then doubled to left field, allowing Vagner to score and cap the inning.
 
CUW added another run in the third inning when Cameron Bruno delivered a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-0.
 
Wheaton cut into the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third, but the Falcons answered with two two-run home runs in the fourth inning. Vagner launched the first over the left-field fence for his first collegiate home run. Later in the inning, Kasten sent a shot over the right-center field fence for his second homer of the season.
 
The Thunder added four runs through the sixth inning to make things interesting before the Falcons responded again. Senior Tyler Murray (Kankakee, Ill.) doubled, and senior Anthony Buono (Streamwood, Ill.) entered as a pinch runner. Later in the inning, freshman Cameron Bueno (Milwaukee, Wis.) singled to left field to bring Buono home.
 
Wheaton attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, but the Falcons' defense held firm to secure the first win under interim head coach Mitch Rogers.
 
Freshman Preston Regnier (Yorkville, Ill.) started on the mound for CUW, pitching 3.1 innings. Junior Danny Smith (Queen Creek, Ariz.) followed with 2.2 innings of relief to earn the win and move to 1-0 on the season, while freshman Jack Gulley (Cypress, Texas) pitched the final inning.
 
The Falcons will travel to the Florida Panhandle next weekend for the Pensacola Challenge. CUW will play four games over four days, beginning with a matchup against Grinnell on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. ET.