SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – The Edgewood College baseball team rediscovered their offense and snapped their losing streak in a 9-3 opening game victory over Dominican University. In the nightcap, the Eagles had a 7-0 lead but the Stars escaped with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth for a 12-9 lead. Garrett Bogucki homered in both ends of the doubleheader and Alex Fowler set a school record by reaching base safely in 32 consecutive games.
Edgewood College (8-24, 5-11 NACC) was tied 2-2 in the fifth inning when Bogucki launched his first blast of the day. His three-run shot to left center gave the Eagles a 5-2 lead which they would never relinquish. The Eagles took advantage of a two-out error on Dominican University (16-19, 5-14 NACC) in the sixth and seventh innings to push their lead to 9-2.
Bogucki went 3-for-4 in the game with three runs batted in. Callen Gavic was 3-for-5 with an RBI double in the second inning. Bryan Sternig, Jeff Tucker and Fowler each had a two hits in the game. Steve Gavin lasted into the eighth inning striking out four and allowing three earned runs on five hits.
In the second game, the Eagles seemed poised to sweep after Bogucki crushed another three-run home run in the first inning. It was his third home run of the season, and eighth of his career, all of which have come away from Stampfl Field. Just before Bogucki's home run Fowler recorded an infield single which marked the 32nd consecutive game that he has reached base safely, breaking the school record that was held by Zack Creekmore and Pat Manning.
The Eagles made the game 7-0 in the fourth on a two-run single by Nick Cheaney, but Dominican began their comeback with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the fifth. The Stars took the lead, before Cheaney tied the game at 9-9 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. In the bottom of the ninth Matt Segovia hit a one-out, three-run home run to end the game and complete the Stars come-from-behind victory.
Bryan Sternig went 4-for-5 with a double and triple. Cheaney finished 3-for-3 with four runs batted in. Fowler went 3-for-4 with a double. Gavic had two hits with an RBI double. Ryan Fields received his first start as a pitcher for the Eagles, going 5.1 innings striking out two batters and allowing three earned runs. Connor Schatzberg took the loss for the Eagles.
Edgewood College will host doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday to conclude the home portion of their schedule. The Eagles will host Marian University on Saturday and Concordia University Wisconsin on Sunday.
