Box Score

LOVES PARK, Ill. – Two high scoring blowouts in the first half of the game gave way to a fantastic pitcher’s duel in the third game of the day at the NAC Baseball Tournament. Concordia Chicago’s Joe Lehayne outdueled Aurora’s Steve Salazar 3-1 to leave the Cougars as the tournament’s lone remaining undefeated team.

Neither team cracked the scoreboard for the first five innings, until the Cougars broke through in the sixth. Brandon Isaac singled home Dan Linsner from third base for a 1-0 lead. However, the Spartans answered immediately in the bottom of the inning. Dave Warner smacked a ringing double to center field center field which scored Tony Wellner who had reached on a leadoff walk.

It wasn’t until Salazar left in the eighth inning that Concordia Chicago took the lead for good. A double, a single and a walk loaded the bases for Zach Tropp who drew a walk of his own for a 2-1 lead. The Cougars tacked on an insurance run in the ninth inning on a Linsner double down the left field line.

Lehayne went 7.2 innings to earn the win and improve to 4-1 on the season. He struck out six hitters and allowed just three hits. Micah Buss entered in the eighth and finished the game for his fifth save of the season. Salazar was nearly as good, going seven innings, giving up one earned run on six hits. Kyle Kapusta took the loss in relief.

Concordia University Chicago advances to the championship round beginning tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. They will need to win just one of two games to win the title and clinch an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Aurora falls to the loser’s bracket and will meet the winner of the Rockford/Benedictine matchup at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning.