Box Score

LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Concordia University Chicago Cougars entered the NAC Tournament with a reputation for hitting and they didn’t disappoint in the opening game against Benedictine University. The Cougars batted around in three different innings and pounded out 19 hits in a 16-4 victory at Road Ranger Stadium.

The Cougars staked starting pitcher Jason Jusk to all the run support he would need in the first three innings. After a single run in the first, the Cougars posted five more in the second inning. Scott Stephens and Dan Linsner had RBI singles in that inning, while Brandon Isaac and Ryan Schwartz had ruin scoring ground outs.

In the third inning, Linsner provided the biggest blow, crushing a three-run home run to right center field to give the Cougars a 9-0 lead and chase Benedictine starter Jake Thompson from the game.

The Eagles attempted to rally back in the fifth inning. Jusk showed some wildness with two walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch that plated the Eagles’ first run of the game. Kenny Burdi then followed with a two-run double to right center and later scored on a Rick Porcaro sacrifice fly to cut the Cougar lead to 11-4.

However, the Cougars put the nail in the coffin with five more runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Linsner’s two-run single and pair of back-to-back RBI doubles by Jack Walker and Isaac. The game ended in the seventh inning game by virtue of the 10-run rule.

Linsner had a career day, going 4-for-6 with six runs batted in and finishing just a triple shy of the cycle. Isaac had just one hit, a double, but drive four runs thanks to two sacrifice flies and an RBI groundout. Jusk fired a complete game five-hitter with five strikeouts to move to 5-3 on the season. Burdi had a double and two runs batted in to lead the Eagle attack.

Top-seeded Concordia University Chicago (31-13) will return to Road Ranger Stadium at 4:00 p.m. to face the winner of the Aurora University and Rockford College game. Benedictine University (22-19) falls to the loser’s bracket and will meet the loser of the Spartans-Regents battle at 7:30 p.m.